ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav to lead; new names included, some big faces left out
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: The biggest stage of T20 cricket, the T20 World Cup 2026, will be played next year in February-March. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-member Indian team for this mega tournament, which will begin on February 7. This time, the team will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, while Axar Patel has been appointed as the vice-captain. The tournament matches will be played in India and Sri Lanka.
The BCCI has selected the team keeping in mind recent form and home conditions. Suryakumar Yadav has been given the captaincy, known for his aggressive style in the T20 format. The team shows a balance of youth and experience, clearly reflecting the management's thinking.
New Names Included, Some Big Faces Left Out
Ishan Kishan, who performed brilliantly in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, has been included in the team. Rinku Singh also gets a place in the squad. However, Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma could not find a place in the 15-member team this time, which was a surprising decision for many fans.
Team Combination and Player Categories
The team includes 4 specialist batsmen, 2 wicketkeepers, 4 all-rounders, and 5 bowlers. The bowling department includes reliable names like Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, while Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy will handle the spin bowling responsibilities.
Groups and India's Schedule
A total of 20 teams will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026, divided into four groups. India is in Group A, along with the USA, Namibia, the Netherlands, and Pakistan. India will play its league matches against the USA on February 7, Namibia on February 12, Pakistan on February 15, and the Netherlands on February 18.
Team India
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (Wicket-keeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Ishan Kishan (Wicket-keeper).