India Announces Squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav Named Captain

EditorDecember 20, 2025

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India Announces Squad for T20 World Cup 2026 Suryakumar Named Captain

Mumbai | December 20, 2025 | DeccanLive.com

The Indian cricket team for the T20 World Cup 2026 has been officially announced. The squad was revealed on Saturday at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai in the presence of BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, and team captain Suryakumar Yadav.

Suryakumar Yadav has been named the captain, while Axar Patel has been appointed as the vice-captain. One of the biggest talking points of the selection is that Shubman Gill has been left out of the squad. On the positive side, Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh have made a comeback, and Sanju Samson has been included as a wicketkeeper.

Why Shubman Gill Was Dropped

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that Gill has not been scoring runs consistently in recent times.
“Gill is not getting enough runs at the moment. He also missed the last World Cup. We know his quality, but right now the runs are not coming,” Agarkar said.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav clarified that Gill was not dropped only due to poor form.
“It is more about team combination. We wanted a wicketkeeper in the top order. There is no doubt about Gill’s talent. He is a very good player,” Surya said. He added that the team also needed players like Rinku Singh and Washington Sundar for balance.

Key Highlights of the Selection

Seven players will play their first T20 World Cup, while eight players already have World Cup experience.
Axar Patel gets the vice-captain role for the first time in a World Cup.
Both Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have been selected as wicketkeeping options.
Rinku Singh returns to strengthen the middle order and finishing role.

Gill’s Recent Form

Shubman Gill has not scored a half-century in his last 18 T20 innings. During this period, he scored 377 runs at a strike rate of 135.12. He also missed the last T20I against South Africa due to a leg injury.

What’s Next for Team India

Before the World Cup, India will play a five-match T20 series against New Zealand starting January 21.
The T20 World Cup 2026 will begin on February 7 in Colombo, with Pakistan facing the Netherlands in the opening match. India will play its first match on the same day against USA at Wankhede Stadium.
The final will be held on March 8, 2026, with the venue to be announced later.

The selectors believe this squad gives the team more flexibility and combinations, which could be key to winning the World Cup.

Indian Team for T20 World Cup

Batters