New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced India’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as well as the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand in January. The squad was unveiled at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai by Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
India have been placed in Group A of the T20 World Cup, alongside Pakistan, the United States, the Netherlands and Namibia. The Men in Blue will begin their World Cup campaign on February 7 in Mumbai, where they will take on the USA in their opening match.
Slight Delay in Announcement
The squad announcement, scheduled for 1:30 pm IST, was delayed by around 35 minutes as Suryakumar Yadav arrived late in Mumbai from Ahmedabad, where he had been engaged in prior commitments. Once the meeting concluded, the selectors confirmed a balanced squad that blends experience with emerging talent.
🚨India’s squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 announced 🚨
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 20, 2025
Let's cheer for the defending champions 💪#TeamIndia | #MenInBlue | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/7CpjGh60vk
Leadership and Team Composition
Suryakumar Yadav will continue as India’s T20 captain, with Hardik Pandya playing a crucial all-round role in the middle order. The squad features a strong batting core, multiple spin options, and a pace attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, underlining India’s intent to field a flexible and competitive side for the global event.
The inclusion of players like Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and Washington Sundar highlights the team management’s preference for multi-dimensional cricketers who can adapt to different match situations. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan provide wicketkeeping depth, while spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy add variety to the bowling unit.
India Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
- Suryakumar Yadav (Captain)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper)
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Tilak Varma
- Axar Patel
- Rinku Singh
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Harshit Rana
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Washington Sundar
- Ishan Kishan
The same squad will also represent India in the T20I series against New Zealand in January, giving the team valuable match practice ahead of the marquee tournament.
With the countdown to the T20 World Cup officially underway, all eyes will now be on how this squad gels in the lead-up matches and whether India can convert its depth and experience into a strong title challenge in 2026.