T20 World Cup 2026 India squad: India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, announced by the BCCI on December 20, underlines a decisive shift from the team that lifted the trophy just two years ago. While several members of the 2024 title-winning side continue to form the core, seven players from that historic squad will not feature in the upcoming edition with legends like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli having already retired from the format after India’s title triumph.
The changes highlight India’s transition into a new T20 setup as they look to defend their crown with a younger group with captain Suryakumar Yadav at the helm of affairs.
Rohit, Virat and Jadeja bow out after 2024 glory
The most significant absentees are Rohit, Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, all of whom retired from T20 internationals following India’s triumph in the 2024 World Cup. Rohit captained the side to the title, while Kohli and Jadeja delivered crucial performances across the tournament with Kohli bagging the Player of the Match recognition in the final.
Their decision to step away from the format paved the way for a new leadership group, with Suryakumar now taking charge as captain and Axar Patel elevated to vice-captain. The trio’s absence for T20 World Cup 2026 was known well before but it also marks the end of an era that defined India’s white-ball success over the last decade.
Selection calls reflect shift in strategy
Apart from the three retirees, four more players from the 2024 squad have missed out on selection for 2026: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Yuzvendra Chahal and Mohammed Siraj.
Jaiswal, despite being part of the 2024 squad, has slipped down the pecking order as the selectors have backed Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma to provide left-handed firepower at the top. Pant’s omission points to a preference for wicketkeepers better suited to India’s current T20 structure, with Sanju Samson retained and Ishan Kishan returning to the fold.
Chahal’s exclusion reflects India’s changing spin philosophy in T20 cricket, with Varun Chakaravarthy’s mystery spin offering a different dimension alongside Kuldeep Yadav. Siraj, meanwhile, has missed out as the selectors prioritised death-overs specialists and all-phase bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
Full list: Players missing from India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad who won the T20 World Cup
Rohit Sharma (retired)
Virat Kohli (retired)
Ravindra Jadeja (retired)
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Rishabh Pant
Yuzvendra Chahal
Mohammed Siraj
T20 World Cup 2024 marked in many ways the climactic end of an era in Indian T20 cricket and it is not very surprising to see multiple changes in their makeup for the 2026 squad.
India squad for T20 World Cup 2024: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj
India squad for T20 World Cup 2026: 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 Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper)