The BCCI stunned Indian cricket fans on Saturday by leaving Shubman Gill out of India’s 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka. In an equally surprising move, Gill was also removed as India’s T20I vice-captain, with Axar Patel named as his replacement. The decision was announced following a selection meeting chaired by Ajit Agarkar at the BCCI headquarters. Gill, who had recently returned to the T20I setup and was handed the vice-captaincy, failed to make the cut after a prolonged dip in form and concerns over team balance. Speaking to the media moments after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the squad, Agarkar explained the rationale behind the call.
“Shubman was the vice-captain; he’s not in the team. Axar was the vice-captain when the T20s used to clash. About continuity, you’re looking at combinations. If your keeper is going to bat at the top, you want a keeper who can play there. Jitesh was there, Shubman is a quality player and unfortunate to miss out. Combinations more than anything else, two keepers at the top. Rinku comes, who gives that lower middle order option,” Agarkar said.
Chairman Acknowledged The Decision
The chairman of selectors acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, stressing that Gill’s omission was not a reflection of his ability. “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.”
Gill’s Form
Gill’s exclusion also came against the backdrop of recurring injury issues. He suffered a neck sprain during the South Africa Test series that required hospitalisation and ruled him out of the ODI leg. Although he returned for the T20Is, scores of 4, 0 and 28 failed to strengthen his case. Ahead of the fourth T20I in Lucknow, Gill picked up another niggle and missed the series decider in Ahmedabad, which Suryakumar Yadav later confirmed.
India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 reads
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 Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan wicketkeeper.
Schedule
India’s campaign will begin with group stage fixtures against USA on February 7 in Mumbai, Namibia on February 12 in Delhi, Pakistan on February 15 in Colombo, and Netherlands on February 18 in Ahmedabad. The Super 8 stage is expected to feature clashes against South Africa in Ahmedabad on February 22, Australia in Chennai on February 26, and West Indies in Kolkata on March 1, subject to seedings. The semifinals are scheduled for March 4 in Kolkata or Colombo and March 5 in Mumbai, with the final set for March 8 in Ahmedabad or Colombo. All matches will start at 7 PM IST.
With a blend of experience, versatility and emerging talent, India now head into the T20 World Cup 2026 aiming to extend their white ball dominance despite the headline-making exclusion of Shubman Gill.
