T20 World Cup 2026 India Team: Top 5 players who were not included in the squad
By Ravi - Dec 20, 2025 04:23 PMLast updated on Dec 20, 2025 04:33 PM
Team India has announced its squad for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, with Suryakumar Yadav set to captain the 15-member power-packed team. With the event just a few months away, the Indian team has made a significant change by appointing all-rounder Axar Patel as the vice-captain. The co-hosts will begin their campaign with a Group A match against the United States of America in Mumbai on February 7.
Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh – two aggressive left-handed batsmen – have made surprise comebacks to the team. Ishan is coming off a stellar performance as the captain of Jharkhand, leading them to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025. Kishan topped the run-scorers' list with 517 runs. Meanwhile, some names were unfortunate to miss out, as the inclusion of new players meant the BCCI had to overlook some established players. Here are the top 5 surprising names who have been left out of India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
1. Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill made a surprise return to the Indian T20 team when he was given the opportunity to open the batting in place of Sanju Samson, and was also appointed vice-captain. However, he failed to capitalize on this opportunity in the Asia Cup, and his poor form continued at home against Australia and South Africa, as he consistently struggled to perform with the bat.
Shubman Gill scored only 32 runs in the entire series against South Africa, and in all fifteen innings he played in 2025, he failed to register a single score of fifty or more, averaging just 24.25. Consequently, the management had to move on from Gill and once again turn their attention to Samson, who will now be seen opening the batting alongside Abhishek Sharma.
2. Jitesh Sharma
Wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma hasn't had many opportunities to prove his finishing abilities for the Indian team. However, he is an excellent wicketkeeper behind the stumps. He was even included in the team as the primary wicketkeeper ahead of the experienced Sanju Samson, which is a strong indicator of his talent.
Jitesh Sharma's exclusion from the squad is also surprising. Sanju Samson remained on the bench during the T20 series against South Africa and Australia, but Jitesh Sharma played as the wicketkeeper. Despite playing in two consecutive series, Jitesh has been dropped. Ishan Kishan has been included in the team as the second wicketkeeper.
3. Mohammed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj last played a T20 match for India in January 2025. Since then, Harshit Rana has become a regular member of the T20 team as a fast bowler. The BCCI has entrusted the fast bowling responsibilities for the World Cup to Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana. Looking at the team composition, it's clear that Harshit Rana has replaced Siraj in the T20 squad.
4. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal was part of the Indian team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup. With an average of 36 and a strike rate of 164.31 in international T20 cricket, it's unfortunate that Jaiswal didn't find a place in the team. However, the team already has several opening options. Therefore, including Jaiswal in the squad was likely very difficult. This is why he was not included in the Indian team for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
5. Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Kumar Reddy made a spectacular entry into the Indian team in his debut T20I series, scoring 74 runs off just 34 balls. Although his time in the shortest format of the game has been limited, he has proven himself with several impactful performances in the opportunities he has received. However, India's middle order is currently packed with experienced batsmen.
Nitish Kumar Reddy is also a very capable bowling option and can provide crucial wickets in the middle overs when needed. However, the presence of senior fast-bowling all-rounders – Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube – means that Reddy will have to wait for his turn.
Indian Team For The T20 World Cup
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper)
Also Read: India Announces 15-Member Squad for T20 World Cup 2026 & New Zealand Tour
ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule
Venue - Sinhalese Sports Club
NED
Venue - Eden Gardens
BAN
Venue - Wankhede Stadium
USA
Venue - MA Chidambaram Stadium
AFG
Venue - Wankhede Stadium
NEP
Venue - R. Premadasa Stadium
IRE
Venue - Eden Gardens
ITA
Venue - Sinhalese Sports Club
OMN
Venue - Narendra Modi Stadium
CAN
Venue - Arun Jaitley Stadium
NAM
Venue - MA Chidambaram Stadium
UAE
Venue - Sinhalese Sports Club
USA
Venue - Narendra Modi Stadium
AFG
Venue - R. Premadasa Stadium
IRE
Venue - Wankhede Stadium
WI
Venue - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
OMN
Venue - Wankhede Stadium
ITA
Venue - Arun Jaitley Stadium
NAM
Venue - R. Premadasa Stadium
ZIM
Venue - Arun Jaitley Stadium
UAE
Venue - MA Chidambaram Stadium
NED
Venue - Sinhalese Sports Club
OMN
Venue - Eden Gardens
BAN
Venue - Narendra Modi Stadium
SA
Venue - Wankhede Stadium
NEP
Venue - MA Chidambaram Stadium
NAM
Venue - R. Premadasa Stadium
PAK
Venue - Arun Jaitley Stadium
UAE
Venue - Eden Gardens
ITA
Venue - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
SL
Venue - MA Chidambaram Stadium
CAN
Venue - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
ZIM
Venue - Wankhede Stadium
NEP
Venue - Arun Jaitley Stadium
UAE
Venue - Sinhalese Sports Club
NAM
Venue - Narendra Modi Stadium
NED
Venue - Eden Gardens
ITA
Venue - R. Premadasa Stadium
ZIM
Venue - MA Chidambaram Stadium
CAN
Venue - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
OMN
Venue - R. Premadasa Stadium
Venue - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Venue - Narendra Modi Stadium
Venue - Wankhede Stadium
Venue - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Venue - R. Premadasa Stadium
Venue - Narendra Modi Stadium
Venue - MA Chidambaram Stadium
Venue - R. Premadasa Stadium
Venue - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Venue - Arun Jaitley Stadium
Venue - Eden Gardens
Venue -
Venue -
Venue -
Full Schedule: ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule
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