Karan The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 during a live press conference held at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and India captain Suryakumar Yadav addressed the media after the selection meeting concluded.
The announcement brings clarity on team composition ahead of the mega event and the T20I series against New Zealand.
India’s squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Announced
How Events Unfolded?
The selection meeting between chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Suryakumar Yadav ended earlier this afternoon. Officials were expected to address the media immediately after the meeting.
However, the press conference faced a slight delay. Captain Suryakumar Yadav arrived late at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, pushing back the scheduled start time.
The wait finally ended as both officials took their seats and revealed India’s squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Announced to the assembled journalists.
Shubman Gill Left Out
The biggest surprise came with Shubman Gill’s exclusion from the squad. The selectors have dropped the opening batter completely from the World Cup team.
Reports suggest the selectors are concerned about Gill’s recent form in T20 cricket. He has struggled to convert starts into big scores in the shortest format.
Gill was serving as vice-captain of India’s T20I side. The selectors discussed his role during the meeting before making the final call.
All-rounder Axar Patel has been handed the vice-captain’s role for the tournament.
India’s squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side. The team includes:
- Suryakumar Yadav (captain)
- Axar Patel (vice-captain)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Tilak Varma
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Arshdeep Singh
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Harshit Rana
- Washington Sundar
- Rinku Singh
- Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper)
- Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper)
The squad features five specialist bowlers, including Bumrah, Arshdeep, Varun, Kuldeep, and Harshit Rana. Two wicketkeepers have been picked with Samson and Kishan getting the nod.
Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, and Washington Sundar provide the all-round options.
Squad Details Confirmed
The BCCI confirmed that the same 15 players will represent India in both the T20 World Cup 2026 and the home T20I series against New Zealand. No separate squad has been announced for either tournament.
Both Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh have been included in the final squad. Earlier reports suggested the two were competing for one spot, but selectors have picked both players.
Squad Now Finalised
The announcement marks the end of the selection process for India’s T20 World Cup campaign. The 15-member squad has been finalized and submitted to the International Cricket Council.
The selected players will now begin preparations for the upcoming assignments. Training sessions and practice matches will be organized ahead of the New Zealand series.
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