The Indian cricket team will dawn upon a new era when it comes to their T20 squad post the World Cup 2024. Following a successful campaign where India won its second World Cup, three of their stalwarts bid adieu to this format namely – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja, all of whom have created a significant impact over the years.
So the team management will have a task in hand to find able replacements for them and build a solid squad en route to the 2026 World Cup. India have an optimum amount of time to be ready for the tournament as they have as many as 34 T20I games before the marquee event (includes ongoing Zimbabwe vs India series). There is also IPL in between which will make it crystal clear for the selectors to narrow down their options. But the outset, what would be the ideal 15-member squad that could represent the defending champions at the T20 World Cup.
Suryakumar Yadav- the new Indian T20I skipper
For starters, India will be having a new skipper for the captain post the Rohit Sharma era and Suryakumar Yadav, being one of the most consistent T20I batter in the team will assume the role. He will be playing a huge role in the 2026 edition when India embark a journey to defend their title at home along with players like Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep, Mohammad Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant who featured primarily in the playing XI in the 2024 World Cup.
All of them will have a larger role to play by the time World Cup comes home and be likely joined by some newer set of players. The pace trio of Arshdeep, Bumrah, Siraj will likely be rotated as the tournament goes with Hardik taking care of third pace bowler duties. Axar, who had an incredible tournament will have to play a key role in the spin bowling department along with Kuldeep Yadav. Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav will take of India’s middle-order batting in the tournament.
Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as India’s new openers
Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who were part of the 2024 squad but couldn’t get a game, will likely have a more prominent role come the 2026 edition in the batting department. Along with them will be the duo of Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh, both of whom were unlucky not to make India’s 15-member squad in 2024. While Gill be the opening partner for Yashasvi, Rinku is seen as a designated finisher for India in the last few years.
As far as Jadeja’s replacement is concerned goes, India will eye upon Washington Sundar as an ideal option. Sundar will bolster India both in the bowling as well as the batting department and may play a huge role, if the surfaces do offer some turn. With Yuzvendra Chahal’s age not on his side, India could see Ravi Bishnoi as his like-to-like replacement going forward. Interestingly, both Bishnoi and Sundar featured in India’s squad for the Zimbabwe that followed the World Cup. Last but not the least, Abhishek Sharma, India’s newest sensation could be a permanent member of the side by the time World Cup arrives home.
India’s probable squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Arshdeep Singh. Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Rinku Singh, Abhishek Sharma
Other contenders: Avesh Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy
