India is all set to announce its squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday, December 20, as the selection committee is set to meet in Mumbai right after the winning streak in South Africa ends. Captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar will address the media to reveal the potential 15-man squad along with five traveling reserves.
India have been in stunning form and arguably look like the best team in the world in the T20I format. Asia Cup wins and series wins against Australia, South Africa and England in 2025 underline their dominance. The team looked like a juggernaut, beating opponents comprehensively, yet there are a few areas that will need attention when it comes to defending the title at home.
Defending the crown on home soil has never been easy in the history of the T20 World Cup, with the fast-paced nature of the format often negating the advantage. For India, the main problem seems to be the form of captain Suryakumar Yadav. The year 2025 was forgotten by the former world number one T20I batsman who failed to score a single fifty in 21 matches and scored just 218 runs.
Finishing was an issue at times, but Hardik Pandya’s return to form helped solve that problem during the South Africa series. The bowling unit seems well settled while the middle order is gradually finding its rhythm with Tilak Varma at the helm. The wicketkeeping options also look bright, with Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma making the most of their opportunities.
However, there are still some big challenges to be made – starting at the very top of the order, where the selection headache is slowly starting.
GILL’S RIDDLE
Shubman Gill’s projection as an all-format player once seemed inevitable. His appointment as future Test and ODI captain seemed only a matter of time. However, in the T20I setup, Gill remains something of an enigma.
Never known for brute strength, the 26-year-old can sometimes look like a square peg in a round hole. His return as vice-captain – a call for Gautam Gambhir to take charge – made him virtually unstoppable, but his form did not justify that support.
Gill managed just 291 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 137.26 – figures that fall short of modern T20 standards. At times, it looked like India’s aggressive approach would be stymied. When he missed the Ahmedabad T20I against South Africa, the change was immediately visible, Sanju Samson’s return to the top changing the team’s intent.
Samson’s performance left voters with a tough question: will they continue to support the out-of-form Gill? And if selected, does he continue as vice-captain?
While Suryakumar remains undroppable as captain, carrying two out-of-form batsmen into the title defense may not be ideal. Further complicating matters is the form of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan, both of whom recently hit centuries in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Jaiswal has consistently performed in Indian colours, while Kishan’s fearless knock in the SMAT finals has garnered a lot of attention. The Jharkhand batsman finished the tournament as the top scoreramassed 517 runs in 10 matches at an average of 57.44 and a strike rate of 197.32. Those numbers make him a true dark horse to return to the national team for the first time since 2023.
WILL RINKU GET A CHANCE?
At one stage, Rinku Singh looked like the darling of Indian cricket. A proactive batsman with multiple speeds and a reliable fielder, he seemed destined to be among the first names on the team sheet. Fast forward to December 2025 and the UP batsman finds himself out of the team picture as he missed the South Africa series altogether.
Team management’s preference for all-rounders and added flexibility meant that Rinku was the victim. A disappointing IPL 2025 further dented his chances, though his international numbers remain impressive – averaging 42.5 in 35 T20Is with a strike rate of over 160.
Picking Rinka would probably mean dropping one of Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube. With the management’s clear inclination towards all-rounders, it currently looks like Rinku may miss out on another T20 World Cup.
WHO WILL BE THE RESERVES?
If Rinku is left out of the main team, he may appear among the traveling reserves. Similarly, Jaiswal may have to settle for a reserve role again, with the opening slots crowded with Abhishek Sharma, Samson and Gill.
Nitish Kumar Reddy or Shahbaz Ahmed could be considered as backup all-rounders while Prasidh Krishna can be included as fast bowling cover for Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana or Arshdeep Singh in case of injury.
Other than that, don’t expect too many surprises. The team is likely to serve both the upcoming T20I series in New Zealand and the T20 World Cup in February-March.
India T20 World Cup Predicted Squad
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sanju Samson (Washington Sanju Samson
Reserves: Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shahbaz Ahmed, Prasidh Krishna
– The end
Published on:
December 20, 2025
