No Shubman Gill in T20 World Cup team: What went wrong?

The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee has announced India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, springing major surprises by leaving out Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, while recalling Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan.

India have unveiled a strong and surprise-packed squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, set to be played next year. The 15-member Team India squad, selected by the committee headed by Ajit Agarkar, has already triggered intense debate among fans and experts.

The biggest talking point is the omission of Shubman Gill, often referred to as the “Prince of Indian cricket,” from the T20 World Cup squad. Along with Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal has also failed to find a place. On the other hand, Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan have made a comeback, strengthening India’s middle order and wicketkeeping options.

Suryakumar Yadav has been named captain for the marquee tournament, while Axar Patel has been handed the vice-captain’s role, marking a major leadership responsibility for the all-rounder.

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Gill’s exclusion is particularly significant given his leadership ambitions. He has already captained India in Tests and ODIs and was recently named vice-captain for the T20 series against South Africa. However, his dip in form in the T20 format has cost him dearly. This decision is seen as a major setback to Gill’s dream of leading India across all three formats.

According to reports, pitch conditions expected at the T20 World Cup 2026 played a decisive role in selection. With India scheduled to play at different venues, pitches are likely to become slower as the tournament progresses, making powerplay scoring extremely crucial. The selectors showed greater confidence in the explosive starts provided by Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan, which ultimately worked against Gill.

Another key reason behind Rinku Singh’s recall is India’s recent over-dependence on Hardik Pandya as the sole finisher. The selectors believe Rinku’s presence will reduce pressure on Hardik and provide stability in the death overs.

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India’s T20 World Cup 2026 Squad:

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana.