Post-World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav Likely to Step Down as India’s T20 Captain

The BCCI selection committee is set to announce India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 today, Saturday, 20 December 2025. Reports suggest that this may be Suryakumar Yadav’s last tournament as captain, as the 35-year-old has been out of form for nearly 14 months and 24 matches. According to insiders, Yadav currently retains his place in the team primarily due to his captaincy. Had the tournament been scheduled six months later, selectors might have considered other leadership options.

Form Concerns for Captain and Vice-Captain
Selectors’ primary concern is the current form of captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill. Both key batsmen have struggled to score runs in recent matches. While Gill’s place has been questioned repeatedly, in-form youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal are awaiting opportunities. However, continuity appears to be the committee’s priority, and major changes in the squad are unlikely ahead of the mega event. The same squad is expected to face New Zealand in the upcoming T20 series.

Probable 15-Member Squad
Based on reports, the likely Indian squad appears well-balanced:

• Captain: Suryakumar Yadav
• Vice-Captain: Shubman Gill
• Batsmen/All-Rounders: Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube
• Wicketkeepers: Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson
• Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana

Washington Sundar is considered a potential weak link, having shown limited impact in 57 T20 matches, though his bowling all-round capabilities make him a likely inclusion.

Final Preparations Ahead of World Cup
With the first match against the United States scheduled on 7 February in Mumbai, India has only five preparatory matches remaining. BCCI retains the right to make changes until the start of the tournament, as demonstrated during the Champions Trophy when Varun Chakravarthy replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal based on pitch conditions in Dubai. Standby players may include Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Shahbaz Ahmed, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Prasidh Krishna.

While the squad appears strong on paper, India’s biggest challenge will be the poor form of two of its top three batsmen heading into the T20 World Cup 2026.