.jpg?type=hq)
India's T20 World Cup 2024 - (Source: AFP)
On Saturday, December 20, the BCCI announced a 15-member India squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to begin on February 7. The board made a few shocking calls as Shubhman Gill failed to earn a place in the team, while Axar Patel was appointed the new vice-captain. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan too marked his return to the team following a great SMAT season.
Suryakumar Yadav and his men will defend the title that Rohit Sharma and his side claimed in Barbados in June 2024. It has been nearly two years since India’s World Cup title, and a lot has changed in the two squads.
Meanwhile, this article will shed light on the players who are now not the part of India’s T20 World Cup squad and where they are now. Interestingly, only eight players from India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad have made it to the 2026 squad.
India's 2024 T20 World Cup squad and who are missing
1. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma captained Team India during the 2024 T20 World Cup, but the hitman announced his T20I retirement following the final, resulting in his absence from the 2026 T20 World Cup squad.
Further, Abhishek Sharma has replaced the hitman in the squad and has had an amazing year with 1602 T20 runs, the most for India in 2025.
2. Virat Kohli
Similar to Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli too announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game after T20 World Cup 2024, which explains his absence from the upcoming World Cup. Talking about his replacement, Sanju Samson will open the innings for India. The right-handed was part of T20 World Cup 2024 but failed to get a solitary game.
3. Yashasvi Jaiswal
For 2024 T20 World Cup, the Men in Blue had Yashasvi Jaiswal in the team as the back-up opener. However, in the last two years, the southpaw emerged as a red-ball talisman and got out of scheme in white-ball cricket.
Since 2024 T20 World Cup, Jaiswal has played just 10 white-ball games and fell behind the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Shubman Gill in the pecking order.
4. Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant started ahead of Sanju Samson for India in the 2024 T20 World Cup, but his dismal performance kept him out of the team. During the World Cup, the southpaw scored 171 runs in eight innings, averaging 24.43.
Further, he couldn’t shine during IPL 2025, where he scored only 269 runs in 13 innings, averaging 24.45. Therefore, the management moved on from the southpaw and roped in Ishan Kishan, who will be India’s back-up option.
Further, Tilak Varma has been doing great for the Indian team, and after his heroics in the Asia Cup final, his place was cemented in the team.
5. Ravindra Jadeja
Again, after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s T20I retirement, Ravindra Jadeja too called it a day in T20I cricket and announced his retirement from the game. In his absence, India have trusted Washington Sundar, who continues to be in and out of the side.
6. Yuzvendra Chahal
Chahal was part of India’s World Cup squad, but has fallen out of the scheme of things as Varun Chakaravarthy has now formed a formidable duo with Kuldeep Yadav. Notably, the right-arm spinner has taken the most wickets by an Indian in 2025 in T20Is, justifiying his selection ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal.
7. Mohammed Siraj
Siraj too has been left out of India’s T20I squad because of his form. The right-arm seamer is a regular in ODIs and Tests, but now with the incoming of Harshit Rana, the Hyderabad-based cricketer is now out of scheme of things.
India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj
India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.
