The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will get underway on February 7. The tournament will feature the world’s top 20 teams battling for cricket’s biggest T20 prize. Team India enter the competition as defending champions and will be eager to create history by becoming the first side to win the coveted trophy on home soil. With massive expectations and passionate home crowds, the pressure will be firmly on the hosts to deliver another memorable campaign.

As with every T20 World Cup, team selection has thrown up a few surprises ahead of the 2026 edition. While several players from the 2024 tournament featured prominently back then, not all have managed to retain their spots this time. A handful of high-profile names have been left out following changes in form, team balance, or strategy. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, India have assembled a strong squad, even as some familiar faces from 2024 miss out on the final cut.

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Here are the top 3 Indian players who played in the 2024 T20 World Cup but are missing in 2026;

3. Mohammed Siraj

Although Mohammed Siraj was part of the victorious Indian team at the T20 World Cup 2024, he has missed out on selection for the T20 World Cup 2026 as the team has changed the dynamics of squads that include players that play various formats and different conditions with match specific performances being required. However, Siraj remains an important player in the Test and ODI formats but he doesn't have as much of a role in the T20 format as he did in previous years.

Siraj has had to deal with a high level of competition from younger players and fast bowling all-rounders like Harshit Rana as these players not only bowl fast but give added batting depth to a side as well. Indian management has placed a high priority on selecting players who have specific skill sets and can be adjusted depending on who is playing in the opposition side. For this reason, Sri was not selected despite his high level of experience. Siraj hasn't played in the T20 format since July 2024 when he played against Sri Lanka where he dropped further down the order as the Indian T20 team has moved away from older combinations and will now look towards players who can provide them enjoyment now and in the future.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal

Many people were shocked when it was announced that Yashasvi Jaiswal wouldn’t be included in the T20 World Cup squad in 2026. He was an important part of the 2024 tournament and had established himself as one of India’s brightest young batting talents. He had been expected to be a long-term choice in this format of the game, having been the third option for the opening position behind Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during the successful 2024 Indian T20 World Cup. His aggressive batting style, along with his ability to score runs quickly at the start of an innings, had made him a key player for future T20 World Cups.

However, due to a loss of form and the emergence of several other top-order players, Jaiswal’s selection was adversely affected. Significant contributions from the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have only added to their selection credentials. As team management looked for players in form, who could play flexible roles within the team, Jaiswal was left out of the squad despite clearly being a capable player. Jaiswal has not played T20 international cricket since July 2024, against Sri Lanka, after which he was no longer considered for selection.

1. Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is the biggest name missing from the players who participated in the 2024 T20 World Cup. He was part of India's world champion squad in 2022 when he provided a serviceable and frequently used option as their primary wicketkeeper over the previous two years; therefore, not being selected this time, despite being involved with the team recently and being back on track with his recent form after injury, has left some fans and many analysts stunned.

Indian team management seems to have gone with a different formula than they did in preparing for the 2026 T20 World Cup, with a very short slump in Pant's performance leading to his exclusion and other players Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan being included instead as wicketkeeper/batter candidates. Although the tournament will begin on February 7 at multiple locations throughout India and Sri Lanka, he will not be there with his name as one of the best T20 players from India.

India and New Zealand are all set to play the third and final match of the ongoing three-match series (IND vs NZ ODI). New Zealand bounced back, winning the second match in Rajkot after being defeated in the first match. The 1-1 scoreline makes the third match a must-win for both of the teams. The team which will be able to claim the third game at the Holkar Stadium will take the series home.

Ahead of the series decider, some glimpses of the Indian players were caught on camera off the field. A video shows Yashasvi Jaiswal was about to slap Dhruv Jurel, who might have made some joke on Jaiswal. The incident took place when the Indian cricketers were boarding the team bus.

Jaiswal as well as Jurel were also about to step into the bus when suddenly some comments of Jurel annoyed Jaiswal so much that he almost slapped the keeper-batter. The keeper-batter also might not expect that reaction from the young batter. Meanwhile, both of the cricketers are part of India's current ODI squad but did not get the chance to play in the previous two matches.

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Watch the moment when Jaiswal almost slapped Jurel

Dhruv Jurel teasing Yashasvi Jaiswal after the practice session, and Jaiswal almost slapped him 😂😂

What do you think Dhruv Jurel said to trigger that reaction? pic.twitter.com/IXzdmiGp5e

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) January 17, 2026

The opening pair of Rohit Sharma and captain Shubman Gill so far has performed well in the series, which makes Jaiswal's chance to play in the series very tough. KL Rahul, who struck a well-controlled century, performed as the keeper-batter for the team. So, like Jaiswal, Jurel had to sit on the bench.

After the defeat in the second match, the Indian team management can change the playing combination. But it is unlikely to see Jaiswal or Jurel in the playing eleven.

It’s not often that a player who scored a century is left out of the next match. India’s white-ball cricket team has so much talent that even top performers sometimes miss out on the squad or have to sit on the bench despite strong performances.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad both scored centuries in their last ODI innings against South Africa last year. While Jaiswal has remained part of the squad for the ongoing series against New Zealand, Gaikwad has been left out.

Amid this matter, Jaiswal, the rising star of Indian cricket, was recently greeted by a huge crowd of fans while returning from a shopping mall ahead of the IND vs NZ 3rd ODI. Fans swarmed him on the way back to the team hotel, showing their excitement and admiration for one of India’s most promising batsmen. The moment highlights his growing popularity and the passion cricket inspires among fans across the country.

Watch the video here:

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s massive fan craze on the way back to the team hotel from a shopping mall 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ecB7Tk2MOD

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) January 16, 2026

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Gavaskar on India’s Pressure and Jaiswal’s Chances in Series Finale

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar feels the pressure will be on India in the series finale, leaving little room to try out Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal could have been included for the Indore game if the series had already been decided. India won the first match in Vadodara to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, but the Kiwis bounced back with a seven-wicket triumph.

No Room for Experiments, Says Gavaskar

“…Had they (India) won this (second) game, they would have had the freedom to experiment a little, perhaps giving opportunities to those who haven’t played so far. Someone like Jaiswal could have gotten a bit of a run as well," Gavaskar said on JioHotstar. “All of that might have been possible. But now they can’t take any chances. They have to play their best eleven again."

On a slow pitch, KL Rahul’s fine century and a second successive fifty from captain Shubman Gill guided India to a challenging 284/7 at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. However, Daryl Mitchell led New Zealand’s response with an unbeaten century to seal a relatively comfortable win, which surprised Gavaskar.

“I was surprised by how easily New Zealand got across the line because, before they started batting, everyone thought India would be able to use the slowness of the pitch," Gavaskar said. “With their (New Zealand) bowlers—not just the spinners, but all of them—using the slowness of the surface well, it felt like India would be able to restrict New Zealand to around 260 or 270. I thought that would have been an easy win for India," he added.

On the sidelines of the ongoing fifth and final Ashes 2025/26 Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the two former players, Mark Waugh and Michael Vaughan, have been asked to reflect on the decision to select the next best Test batter in future, to which both went for two different players.

Junior went ahead with the current left-handed opening batter of India, Yashasvi Jaiswal, ahead of the captain, Shubman Gill. Jaiswal has already smashed 2511 runs in 53 Test innings at an average of nearly 50, thanks to his seven centuries and 13 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 214.

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“I reckon there are three in the run- Yashasvi Jaiswal from India, Harry Brook from England, and Rachin Ravindra from New Zealand. I am, however, going with Jaiswal- 24 years of age, averages just under 50, has a 200, and there is something special about the kid. I am selecting him to be the next best Test batter and join the elite group of players.” Junior Waugh shed light on Kayo Sports.

Mark Waugh picks Yashasvi Jaiswal as next best Test batter

Meanwhile, Vaughn has gone with the current white-ball captain of England, Harry Brook, who has notched up 3052 runs in 58 innings of the longest format at an average of 54.50 and a strike rate of 86.82 with 10 centuries and 14 fifties at the best score of 317.

Watch the video here: 

Who do you think the next great Test cricket batsman is? 🏏🤔

Watch the #Ashes LIVE in 4K and ad-break free during play, on Kayo!#TheAshes #AUSvENG #SCG #Cricket pic.twitter.com/9xOBP6TooR

— Kayo Sports (@kayosports) January 7, 2026

“I will throw Shubman Gill in the list, but I reckon Harry Brook is the next best Test batter in the future. We have already been talking about him, whether in his trip, where he hasn’t got the amount of runs I would have expected, but over the next 10 years, I am expecting some extraordinary innings from this young chap.” Vaughan expressed.

“He has already played so many games for England in both the white-ball and red-ball formats. And he is box office- so I have been going on with Harry Brook.” The former England captain addressed, as no one picked Rachin Ravindra, who has 1526 Test runs at 47.68 with four centuries and five fifties.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) is yet to announce their captain's name for the IPL 2026 season. Sanju Samson was their skipper in the previous season, who joined Chennai Super Kings through a trade deal before the IPL 2026 auction.

Samson's departure has created a massive blank spot in the franchise, as he was not only the leader but also a crowd puller as well. To fill up the void, RR brought in Ravindra Jadeja in the trade deal. It was hugely speculated that Jadeja could be the new captain of the team for the upcoming Indian Premier League season. Now, some fresh reports have suggested that the management of Rajasthan Royals can appoint Yashasvi Jaiswal as their new skipper over Jadeja.

Jaiswal has been associated with the franchise since his IPL debut. From the IPL 2020-21 season to IPL 2025, the young opener accumulated 2,166 runs in 67 matches for Rajasthan Royals. Like Samson, Jaiswal also understands the mentality of the team, and he is someone who can serve the team for multiple seasons, as Jaiswal is only 24 years old.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal poised to become the next captain of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026 season 

Apart from Jaiswal and Jadeja, there is another player who has been with the franchise for a long time: Riyan Parag. Parag can be another contender to become the leader of the team for the IPL 2026 season. But as of now, it is Yashasvi Jaiswal who is leading the race to become the next captain of the Rajasthan Royals.

The southpaw was in good form during the IPL 2025 season, scoring 559 runs in 14 matches. Though, as a team, RR experienced a rock-hard situation by finishing in the bottom half of the points table. 

Team India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal stole the spotlights at the Reliance Foundation Event with his new look. The batter was spotted in a retro appearance in the show. As he is only 24, the old-school makeover surprised the cricket fans. 

The recent past few weeks were full of events for Yashasvi Jaiswal. From performing for Team India to suffering from a serious food poisoning issue, the opener was in the headlines for multiple reasons. It is expected to see him in action for India during the 3-match ODI series against New Zealand, as the selectors named the batter to the final squad. Jaiswal was left out from the T20I squad, which will feature in both Twenty20 series with New Zealand and in the T20 World Cup 2026. 

The 3-match ODI series is scheduled to start on 11th January at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara. Ahead of that, Jaiswal, along with many other star players, is playing in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy for their respective states. Jaiswal, representing Mumbai in the 50-overs series, has been struggling to maintain his rhythm. After smashing a hundred against Haryana on December 14, 2025, the southpaw had to toil for runs. Against Goa, he missed a half-century for only four runs but surprisingly took a couple of wickets. 

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Watxh the new look of Yashasvi Jaiswal in this video 

Yashasvi Jaiswal in Pure 90s Style in Reliance Foundation Event 😅

His Hair style, Beard style, cloths giving 90s vibe 🔥 pic.twitter.com/n60nCzFElj

— Jara (@JARA_Memer) January 5, 2026

On December 28, 2025, which was his 24th birthday, a video of the batter went viral on social media platforms. The viral video showed that the star cricketer was celebrating his birthday with his mother. Only a few days ago, he recovered from the food poisoning issue. 

India’s ODI squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC)*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

It is time for the new year 2026, and many top Indian cricketers are ready for the Vijay Hazare Trophy in the new year. Here we are going through some of the top names in the Indian national cricket team, who are expected to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 in January 2026.

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Virat Kohli

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli is in dream form with the bat, as he has scored 50+ runs in the last six innings, including three centuries. The Delhi star has already played two fixtures in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he scored 131 and 77 runs, respectively. He is likely to play his third game in this competition on December 6 when Delhi will face Railways.

Rishabh Pant

The wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is leading the Delhi team, and he has committed to playing all matches for Delhi in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy season. In this competition, his scores are 5, 70, and 22 runs, respectively. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Indian opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has joined the Mumbai team after recovering from stomach cramps, for which he was hospitalised after the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Rajasthan on December 16. While he is likely to feature in the match against Goa on December 31, 2025, he is likely to continue his journey with Mumbai in the ongoing List A tournament.

Shubman Gill

Indian Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is set to return to the game after recovering from a foot injury, which forced him to miss the last two T20I matches against South Africa. The Punjab star batter is likely to play the match against Sikkim and Goa on January 3 and 6, respectively. 

Ravindra Jadeja

By participating in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is sending a clear message to the team management about his goal for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia from October to November 2027. The Saurashtra all-rounder can play the match against Services and Gujarat on January 6 and 8, respectively. 

KL Rahul

Although there is no confirmation yet, KL Rahul is likely to serve for Karnataka on January 3 and 6 matches against Tripura and Rajasthan, respectively. 

India’s sensational left-handed opening batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal, has turned 24 and celebrated his birthday at the HPC of the Rajasthan Royals, along with his mother, where they cut the birthday cake with the video going viral around the social media platforms. Jaiswal has been sensational with the bat in the longest format and may earn the same success in the white-ball formats.

In his short two-year career, Jaiswal has smashed 2511 runs in 53 innings of the longest format at an average of 49.23 and a strike rate of 66.02 with the help of seven centuries and 13 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 214 runs against England. His first-class average has been 56.11 with 4826 runs in 91 innings with 17 centuries and 18 fifties.

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On the other hand, Jaiswal has nailed 171 runs in four innings of the ODI format at an average of 57 and a strike rate of 86.80 with one century, which he celebrated against South Africa in the recent series decider at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Vizag.

Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrates his 24th birthday in viral video

Apart from this, the southpaw has clubbed 723 runs in 22 innings of the shortest format at an average of 36.15 and a strike rate of 164.31 with the help of one century and five half-centuries at the best score of 100. In 117 innings of T20s, the left-handed batter has recorded 3682 runs at a strike rate of 152.27 with four centuries and 23 fifties.

📍About last night at the Royals HPC 💗🎂 pic.twitter.com/9Bio7snx4Y

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) December 29, 2025

Featuring for the Rajasthan Royals in the history of IPL, Jaiswal has notched up 2166 runs in 66 innings at an average of 34.38 and a strike rate of 152.85 with the help of two centuries and 15 half-centuries at the best score of 124 runs. In every edition of the last three IPLs, he crossed the 400-run mark.

Jaiswal is expected to feature in the home ODI series before putting his focus on the Ranji Trophy ahead of the IPL 2026, followed by India’s away Test series against Sri Lanka and later in New Zealand.

Team India had an excellent year in ODIs in 2025. The Men in Blue played 14 matches, winning 11 and losing only three. This gave them an impressive win percentage of 78.57.

India began the year with a dominant 3–0 home series win against England. They then remained unbeaten in the Champions Trophy held in the UAE. Later in the year, India lost the three-match ODI series in Australia by 2–1. However, they finished 2025 on a high with a 2–1 home series win over South Africa.

Among the batters, Virat Kohli was India’s leading run-scorer in ODIs in 2025. In 13 innings, he scored 651 runs at an average of 65.10 and a strike rate of 96.15. He hit three centuries and four half-centuries. Rohit Sharma finished just behind him with 650 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 100.46.

Shreyas Iyer scored 496 runs, Shubman Gill made 490 runs, and KL Rahul added 367 runs to complete the top five list.

Indian batters produced several memorable performances in ODIs during 2025. In this feature, we look back at the top five one-day innings played by Team India batters in the year.

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5. Shubman Gill (112 off 102) vs England, Ahmedabad

Shubman Gill played 11 ODI matches for India in 2025. In 11 innings, he scored 490 runs at an average of 49 and a strike rate of 88.76. He hit two centuries and two half-centuries during the year.

Gill played a fine knock of 112 off 102 balls against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the third and final ODI. After England won the toss and chose to bowl first, India lost Rohit Sharma for just one run. Gill then steadied the innings with a classy knock.

His innings included 14 fours and three sixes. Gill added 116 runs for the second wicket with Virat Kohli and 104 runs for the third wicket with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 78. Gill was eventually bowled by Adil Rashid. India went on to win the match by 142 runs.

4. Ruturaj Gaikwad (105 off 83) vs South Africa, Raipur

Ruturaj Gaikwad scored his maiden ODI century against South Africa at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. He batted at number four in this match as Shreyas Iyer was ruled out due to injury.

After South Africa won the toss and elected to field, India lost both openers inside the first 10 overs. Gaikwad then launched a strong counter-attack. He smashed 12 fours and two sixes in his 105 off just 83 balls.

Gaikwad added a massive 195-run partnership for the third wicket with Virat Kohli. He was eventually caught at deep fine leg off Marco Jansen. Despite his brilliant knock, it went in vain as South Africa successfully chased down 359 runs.

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3. Rohit Sharma (121* off 125) vs Australia, Sydney

Rohit Sharma rolled back the years with a superb century against Australia in Sydney during the final ODI of the series. After losing the first two matches, Rohit gave Indian fans something to cheer about with a composed and experienced knock.

Australia were restricted to 236 after Harshit Rana took four wickets. In the chase, Rohit remained unbeaten on 121 off 125 balls. He struck 13 fours and three sixes and played with great control.

Gill was dismissed for 24, but Rohit added an unbroken 168-run stand for the second wicket with Virat Kohli. India chased the target in 38.3 overs and won the match with nine wickets in hand.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal (116* off 121) vs South Africa, Visakhapatnam

Yashasvi Jaiswal also scored his maiden ODI century during the series against South Africa. Opening the innings in the absence of Shubman Gill, who was injured, Jaiswal delivered a match-winning knock in the decider at Visakhapatnam.

Chasing a target of 271, Jaiswal scored an unbeaten 116 off 121 balls. His innings included 12 fours and two sixes. He led the chase with confidence and maturity.

Jaiswal added 155 runs for the first wicket with Rohit Sharma, who scored 75 off 73 balls. He then shared an unbeaten 116-run stand for the second wicket with Virat Kohli, who remained not out on 65 off 45 balls. India won the match comfortably.

1. Virat Kohli (135 off 120) vs South Africa, Ranchi

Virat Kohli once again showed his class in ODIs with a brilliant performance against South Africa in Ranchi. In the first ODI of the series, Kohli scored a superb 135 off 120 balls at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.

After South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early for 18. Kohli then took charge of the innings and kept the pressure on the bowlers.

He smashed 11 fours and seven sixes in his 173-minute knock. Rohit Sharma supported him well with 57 off 51 balls as the pair added 136 runs for the second wicket. Kohli was dismissed late in the innings, but India posted 349 for 8 and went on to win the match by 17 runs.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has declared the total squad of 15 players for the ICC T20 World Cup of 2026, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka. The selection panel has also confirmed that the changes in the particular team can still be made before the start of the ICC event on February 7.Similar last-minute changes have been made in past ICC tournaments after assessing match conditions.

Suryakumar Yadav has been named captain for the tournament, while Axar Patel will serve as vice-captain. The list of players includes some of the experienced ones, such as Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakravarthy, along with Ishan Kishan, who is making a comeback into the T20 World Cup squad. However, the biggest surprise from the announcement was the absence of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was part of India’s previous World Cup squad.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained the logic behind the selection, saying, “When someone's playing Tests and not playing T20s, you can't say it's for combinations. When Sanju and Tilak made those 100s in South Africa last year, the Test team were in Australia. You saw Sanju opening last night and that tells you what the thinking is. With picking a second wicketkeeper for the top.” His comments made it clear that availability, roles, and balance were key factors in team selection.

Why Yashasvi Jaiswal Was Dropped from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 Squad

Agarkar also directly addressed Jaiswal’s omission, saying, “We ask what everyone thinks is the best position. Is anyone compromised? There's a quality player coming in. No one is talking about Jaiswal anymore and he was in the previous World Cup squad. Hopefully we get it right come the World Cup.” He again reminded that changes can still be made before the tournament begins.

See Also: Team India full squad for T20I World Cup 2026

Suryakumar Yadav further explained the batting plan and confirmed Tilak Varma at number three, saying, “We've fixed number 3 for Tilak, 4 for myself. Lefty-righty is a little overrated. We want to fix that role for Tilak so he knows what his role is and is happy in that position.” Speaking about Shubman Gill missing out, Agarkar added, “Combinations more than anything else, two keepers at the top. Someone has to miss out, not because he’s not a good player, but because we have options.” Overall, the squad reflects a clear focus on balance, flexibility, and clearly defined roles.

India Squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2026:

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