3 reasons why India dropping Jitesh Sharma for the T20 World Cup 2026 is the wrong move
Jitesh Sharma was left out of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad, a decision that surprised many fans after his strong performances in the recent T20I series against South Africa. Here are three reasons why leaving him out could be a wrong call.
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Jitesh Sharma was one of the notable players left out of India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The wicketkeeper-batter was not selected for the tournament or for the five-match T20I home series against New Zealand.
The decision surprised many fans, as Jitesh was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against South Africa and had done well.
Apart from Jitesh, Shubman Gill was also dropped from the squad for the ICC event. While both players missed out, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan and batter Rinku Singh made their return to the T20I team.
Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead India at the 2026 T20 World Cup, with all-rounder Axar Patel named as his deputy. India will begin their campaign against the United States of America (USA) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7.
Here, we look at three reasons why dropping Jitesh Sharma from the 2026 T20 World Cup squad could be seen as a wrong decision by India.
1. Jitesh Sharma’s Impressive Record as a Finisher
Jitesh Sharma has done a good job in the death overs for RCB in the Indian Premier League. He played an important role in their title-winning campaign earlier this year, scoring 261 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 176.35.
The right-handed batter has also performed well in international cricket. He has scored 162 runs in 12 T20I innings at a strike rate of 151.40. Jitesh’s ability to attack from the very first ball makes him one of the best finishers in the country. He would have been a valuable player, especially with the 2026 T20 World Cup set to be played in India and Sri Lanka.
2. Rinku Singh Lacked Form in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025–26
With Jitesh Sharma left out of the squad, Rinku Singh became the leading option for the finisher’s role. However, the left-handed batter did not look in good form in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025–26.
The Uttar Pradesh batter scored 172 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 135.43. He also failed to meet expectations in IPL 2025. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter made 206 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 153.73 and did not feature in the home series against South Africa.
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3. Jitesh Sharma’s 360-Degree Shot Play
Jitesh Sharma is known for playing attacking shots in all areas of the ground. From switch hits to creative scoops, he has a wide range of shots.
This skill would have been useful in the final overs to beat the field. He has shown his ability to play such shots in the IPL. Jitesh proved his quality with a match-winning knock against Lucknow Supergiants in the final league match. His unbeaten 85 off just 35 balls helped RCB chase a big target of 228 runs in 18.4 overs with six wickets remaining.
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Avijit Das
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