Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 20 : Indian ODI and Test skipper Shubman Gill suffered a significant setback after being dropped from the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup and New Zealand T20I amid fitness and form concerns.
Suryakumar Yadav is set to lead India in his first-ever ICC tournament as captain, with Axar Patel named as his deputy in the absence of Gill, who was dropped after lean performances upon his return to the T20I setup in September.
The team was announced by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia at the board's headquarters on Saturday, in the presence of captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
Speaking at the news conference, Agarkar said Gill missed out because India was considering alternative combinations at the top of the order. The Chief Selector also reiterated that Gill was a champion player.
Gill, who did not feature in the fifth and final T20I against South Africa due to a foot injury sustained before the fourth T20I, which was cancelled due to fog, has been dropped amid concerns about his fitness and form.
Since his return to the side during the Asia Cup as a vice-captain on the back of a strong England Test tour, he could not replicate his fine Test form in T20Is, scoring just 291 runs in 15 matches and innings at an average of 24.25 and a strike rate of above 137 with no fifties and a best score of 47.
Speaking during the presser, Agarkar acknowledged Gill's quality as a cricketer, but said that he is currently "short of a little bit of runs" and the team wanted two wicketkeeping options at the top, hence explaining the decision to remove Jitesh Sharma, who was batting down the order as a wicketkeeper-batter who could finish matches.
"I mean, obviously, Shubman was the vice-captain; he is not in the team, so there will have to be somebody else as vice-captain. And Axar, before that, when Shubman was actually not playing the T20Is and playing Test cricket, when a lot of the T20Is used to clash, Axar was the vice-captain. So, that is about the vice-captain," he said.
"About continuity, I mean, you are looking at combinations at the moment. If your keeper is going to bat at the top, our thought was to have another keeper, just in case there is a problem. At the moment, Jitesh was there, again, has not done too much wrong. I mean, Shubman, we know what a quality player he is, perhaps short of a little bit of runs at the moment. Unfortunate to miss out in the last World Cup as well, because we went with different combinations, but it's the combinations more than anything else," he concluded.
Along with Gill, Jitesh Sharma, who had featured in the recent T20Is against South Africa, also missed out. Defending champions and co-hosts India will begin their campaign on February 7. The hosts enter the tournament aiming to clinch a record third title.
Fiery opener Abhishek Sharma, who has a strike rate of 188.02 in the format, is expected to open the side, with Sanju Samson expected to partner him. Ishan Kishan, who last played a T20I for India in 2023, has been brought in as the backup opener and wicket-keeper.
Ishan, who had a marvellous SMAT 2025/26 campaign with Jharkhand, leading them to their first-ever SMAT title, has returned to the side after last playing a T20I against Australia in late 2023. He top-scored in SMAT with 517 runs in 10 innings at 57.44, including two centuries and two fifties, including a century in the final against Haryana, and striking at over 197.
Tilak Varma, pace all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, spin all-rounders Axar, Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh give a lot of firepower and depth to the Indian middle-order. Kuldeep Yadav is the specialist spinner with Varun Chakravarthy, while Jasprit Bumrah leads the pace bowling attack featuring Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
India is placed in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States and will start its campaign against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai.
India's squad for T20 World Cup 2026 and New Zealand T20I series: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-capt), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wk).