India announced the squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 on December 20, with some big names surprisingly missing out. Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma have been left out, while Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan have made the 15-player squad.
Axar Patel has been named the skipper, Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy, and the same team will also play the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting on January 11. Shubman Gill’s dropping was the biggest surprise for the Indian cricket fraternity since he was the vice-captain.
Indian selectors spring surprise as several big names miss T20 World Cup 2026 cut
Gill hasn’t scored a fifty since returning to India’s T20I side in September, and now his poor form has led to his omission, as he missed out on the T20 World Cup selection twice. Apart from him, Yashasvi Jaiswal, the explosive and in-form opener, couldn’t find a place despite consistent performances.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, another in-form opener, was edged out due to team balance, while Shreyas Iyer also missed out. Rishabh Pant also didn’t make the cut to the T20 World Cup 2026 squad due to his inconsistent performance.
Pant has been out of the T20 setup ever since Samson’s emergence as an opener. India even tried Jitesh Sharma but didn’t recall the left-hander.
Mohammed Siraj once again ignored for India T20I recall
Other notable names left out include Riyan Parag and Ravi Bishnoi, who has impressed everyone in limited opportunities. Experienced pacer Mohammed Siraj has continued to be sidelined from the T20I side, while Khaleel Ahmed was also not recalled despite impactful spells in T20 cricket.
Sai Kishore is another name. Even if the list of the backup players is prepared, star players like KL Rahul, Shashank Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar would turn heads. All these players were in stunning form in the IPL 2025 and domestic cricket.
Despite proven T20 credentials, they have failed to make the cut, but they make a strong Playing XI of the dropped players from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad that can also beat any side on the field.
India’s Dropped Players’ Playing XI:
Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), Riyan Parag, Jitesh Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Sai Kishore
Backups: KL Rahul, Shashank Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Ajit Agarkar explains tough calls as star players miss out
Meanwhile, Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar has insisted that leaving players out is never easy, but he made it clear that the dropped players are still highly talented, but team combinations and balance played a big role in the final calls. With so many strong options available, Agarkar said that some players had to miss out despite their quality and form.
Ajit Agarkar said at the press conference, “Your opinion could differ from mine. Sometimes when you pick players, it’s difficult. We still think he’s a quality player. You go through ups and downs with forms, but it’s more about the combinations you want them playing. Someone has to miss out; it’s not because he’s not a good player, and fortunately in Indian cricket we have options.”