The Indian cricket team for the T20 World Cup 2026 has been announced, and in a surprising move, Shubman Gill has been left out, while Axar Patel has been reinstated as vice-captain. The announcement was made by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia in a press conference, with Suryakumar Yadav appointed as captain of the 15-member squad.
Why Shubman Gill Was Dropped
Shubman Gill, a key figure in India’s Test and ODI setups, was previously made T20 vice-captain ahead of the Asia Cup 2025. Many had anticipated that he would eventually take over leadership in the T20 format. However, his continued poor performances in T20 cricket led selectors to take a cautious approach for the World Cup.
Gill’s recent T20 statistics reflect his struggles: in the last 15 matches, he has scored just 291 runs at an average of 24.25, without a single fifty. Overall, in 36 T20 innings since his debut in 2023, he has accumulated 869 runs at an average of 28.03 with a strike rate of 138.60. Despite receiving ample opportunities, Gill could not convert starts into substantial scores.
The Risk Factor
Excluding Shubman Gill is a calculated risk for Team India. While the squad has aggressive hitters like Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya, Gill’s ability to stabilize an innings in tough situations could have been crucial. He is one of the few batsmen in the team capable of “holding the innings together” if others fail. Nonetheless, given his current form, the selectors decided it was safer to leave him out for a major tournament like the World Cup.
Interestingly, Axar Patel, who had previously lost the vice-captaincy to Gill, has now been reinstated. This ensures leadership stability in the team.
Sanju Samson’s Form Boosts His Selection
Opening batsman Sanju Samson has been in better form than Gill recently. Samson has scored 1,032 runs in 44 innings across 52 T20 matches, including three centuries and three fifties, with all centuries coming as an opener. His partnership with Abhishek Sharma at the top has been effective, making him India’s preferred choice for the World Cup opening slot.
India’s T20 World Cup 2026 Squad:
- Captain: Suryakumar Yadav
- Vice-Captain: Axar Patel
- Batsmen: Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dubey, Rinku Singh
- Wicketkeeper-Batsmen: Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan
- All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya
- Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana
The squad reflects a mix of experience and youth, balancing aggressive hitting with tactical depth. The decision to drop Gill highlights the selectors’ focus on form and current performance over reputation.
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