India have named a bold, form-based 15 for the home T20 World Cup 2026, dropping Shubman Gill and handing the vice-captaincy to all‑rounder Axar Patel in a Suryakumar Yadav‑led squad.

Big calls: Gill out, Axar vice-captain, Ishan back

• Shubman Gill, who was T20I vice‑captain during the Asia Cup 2025, has been left out after a lean run in white-ball cricket, despite his status as an all-format star.

• Axar Patel is promoted as vice‑captain, regaining a leadership role he briefly held before Gill took over earlier in the year.

• Ishan Kishan returns as second wicketkeeper after scoring 517 runs in 10 innings and leading Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.

• Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said the call was about combinations, not Gill’s quality: India want “two keepers at the top” (Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan) and extra finishing depth with Rinku Singh, leaving no room for Gill in a 15‑man squad.

In Gill’s absence, Sanju Samson is expected to open with Abhishek Sharma, with Ishan providing like‑for‑like top‑order, wicketkeeping backup.

Confirmed India squad for T20 World Cup 2026

India squad (15)

• Suryakumar Yadav (C) – top‑order batter

• Abhishek Sharma – opening batter

• Sanju Samson (WK) – top‑order keeper‑batter

• Tilak Varma – middle‑order batter

• Hardik Pandya – fast‑bowling all‑rounder

• Shivam Dube – batting all‑rounder

• Axar Patel (VC) – spin‑bowling all‑rounder

• Rinku Singh – finisher

• Jasprit Bumrah – fast bowler

• Harshit Rana – fast bowler

• Arshdeep Singh – left‑arm seamer

• Kuldeep Yadav – left‑arm wrist‑spinner

• Varun Chakravarthy – mystery spinner

• Washington Sundar – spin all‑rounder

• Ishan Kishan (WK) – top‑order keeper‑batter

Aggressive top order (Abhishek, Samson, SKY, Ishan).

Three seam‑bowling all‑rounders (Hardik, Dube, Axar).

Varied spin attack (Kuldeep, Varun, Washington, Axar).

Left‑right seam combo (Bumrah, Arshdeep, Harshit).

Why Gill and Jitesh missed out

Ajit Agarkar’s rationale in brief:

• Gill is “a little short of runs at the moment”, but remains a “quality player”.

• India have committed to opening with wicketkeepers (Samson, Ishan), so a pure top‑order batter like Gill became the squeeze‑out in a 15‑man squad.

• With Rinku Singh locked in as a dedicated finisher and Hardik/Dube also in the lower middle order, there was little scope to fit Gill as a floater.

• Jitesh Sharma lost his backup‑keeper spot to Ishan Kishan, who offers top‑order explosiveness and recent domestic form.

India’s group, venues and key dates

The 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup runs from 7 February to 8 March 2026, co‑hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with 20 teams in four groups of five and Super Eights from 21 February

India are in Group A with: India, Pakistan, USA, Namibia, Netherlands

India’s group-stage fixtures: