New Delhi: In a bold overhaul weeks ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, Team India has unveiled a refreshed squad under skipper Suryakumar Yadav, signalling a shift from the triumphant 2024 lineup.
With the tournament set to unfold on home turf in India and Sri Lanka, the defending champions have axed seven key players from their Barbados-conquering team, blending experience with emerging talent to chase back-to-back glory.
The squad, announced at BCCI headquarters on Saturday, features Suryakumar as captain and Axar Patel as vice-captain. The team retains core stars like Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, and Shivam Dube while also welcoming fresh faces that have excelled over the past 18 months. Abhishek Sharma steps in as opener, replacing the retired Rohit Sharma, while Ishan Kishan makes a strong comeback behind the stumps. Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, and Harshit Rana add dynamism, with six of these players set for their T20 World Cup debut.
The big exclusions include icons Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, who hung up their T20I boots post the 2024 victory. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar also dropped Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Yuzvendra Chahal, opting for youth and form over familiarity. “This squad reflects our evolving strategy,” a BCCI source noted, highlighting the rapid transformation since India’s drought-ending win.
As the first of the 20 teams to name their players, India enters as a favourite. With barely six weeks to go, fans eagerly await to see if this revamped unit can defend the crown on familiar pitches.
Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel (vc), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh.