The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) senior men’s selection committee will announce India’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday, December 20.
The marquee ICC event will be staged across eight venues in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. India’s squad for New Zealand series will also be announced along their T20 World Cup 2026 playing contingent. The home T20I series against the Kiwis will be played in Nagpur, Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram from January 21 to 31.
From what is being reported so far, the selectors are expected to name a common squad for both the T20 World Cup and the New Zealand series. With limited time left before the global tournament, the meeting headed by Ajit Agarkar is likely to focus on continuity, though a few key selection debates remain unresolved.
Shubman Gill’s form a talking point ahead of squad call
Vice-captain Shubman Gill finds himself under scrutiny following a lean run in the shortest format. The opener has featured in 15 T20Is in 2025 without registering a single half-century. His recent returns in the recent series against South Africa scores of 4, 0 and 28 have drawn criticism, particularly given India’s depth in batting resources.
Despite the numbers, Gill is still expected to retain his place, with the selectors traditionally backing incumbents in the lead-up to major ICC tournaments. However, a surprise call cannot be entirely ruled out if the committee decides to prioritise current form.
Jaiswal, Ishan in frame as selectors consider alternatives
If the selectors opt for a bold move, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan are the two most viable alternatives at the top of the order. Jaiswal, part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2024, has not played a T20I since July that year but impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, including a century for Mumbai in the Super League stage.
Ishan Kishan, meanwhile, strengthened his case with a prolific SMAT 2025 campaign for Jharkhand, finishing as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 517 runs and a century in the final. While his inclusion remains unlikely, his ability to open the batting and serve as a wicketkeeping option adds balance to the squad.
Core group expected to stay intact despite form concerns
Captain Suryakumar Yadav has also endured a modest run with the bat, but India’s consistent results under his leadership make a change at the top improbable so close to the T20 World Cup. The team management will, however, hope the world No. 1-ranked T20I batter regains form ahead of the 20-team tournament.
Several names are virtual certainties for selection, including Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh. Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma are also expected to be part of the squad.
The final calls could revolve around Sanju Samson and Washington Sundar. Samson was part of India’s 2024 World Cup-winning side, while Sundar was preferred over Rinku Singh for the ongoing South Africa series but is yet to feature in the playing XI. Should Sundar be overlooked, Rinku Singh or Nitish Kumar Reddy could come into contention.
India’s likely squad for T20 World Cup 2026 and New Zealand T20Is
Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh
