NEW DELHI, Dec 20, (V7N)— The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin in February 2026. In a major selection call, the national selection committee has dropped Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill from the shortest format due to recent underwhelming performances and a lack of consistency in T20Is. Gill, who previously served as the vice-captain in this format, has been replaced by all-rounder Axar Patel as the team's deputy under the leadership of captain Suryakumar Yadav. Meanwhile, explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan has earned a recall to the national side following a stellar domestic season in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he led Jharkhand to their maiden title.

The defending champions will launch their campaign to retain the trophy on February 7, 2026, with an opening match against the United States at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This edition of the T20 World Cup is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, featuring matches across eight venues in both countries. Alongside the World Cup squad, the BCCI also confirmed the team for the preceding home series against New Zealand, which will serve as the final preparation for the marquee event. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar noted that while Gill remains a "champion player," the team management opted for different combinations at the top of the order to ensure maximum impact during the powerplay overs.

Indian Squad for T20 World Cup 2026:

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, and Washington Sundar.

END/SMA/AJ