Ishan Kishan Joins Indian T20 World Cup Squad Amid Family Joy
Family Celebrates Ishan Kishan's Selection
The announcement of Ishan Kishan's inclusion in the Indian Cricket Team for the T20 World Cup has filled his family with happiness. His father, Pranav Pandey, shared his enthusiasm, saying, "Sports have their ups and downs, but Ishan has put in a lot of effort to earn this spot."
Team Changes: Suryakumar Takes Charge, Gill Excluded
Suryakumar Yadav has been appointed captain of a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Shubman Gill, who previously served as vice-captain, has been left out due to concerns regarding his fitness and performance. Axar Patel will resume his role as vice-captain. Kishan makes his return as a second wicketkeeper-batter after a successful campaign with Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he was the leading run-scorer.
Kishan's Impressive Domestic Season
In an interview, Pranav Pandey remarked, "The journey of sports is filled with challenges. Ishan has dedicated himself, and his skills have significantly improved. We are thrilled about his selection for the WT20 team." Ishan had an outstanding SMAT 2025/26 season, guiding Jharkhand to their first title and finishing as the top scorer with 517 runs in 10 innings, averaging 57.44. His performance included two centuries and two fifties, with a remarkable century in the final against Haryana, boasting a strike rate of over 197.
Official Team Announcement and Selector Insights
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Devajit Saikia, announced the team at the board's headquarters on Saturday, alongside captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar. During the press conference, Agarkar explained that Gill's exclusion was due to the team's exploration of different batting combinations at the top order, while also praising Gill as a top-tier player.
India's T20 World Cup 2026 Squad
The Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 and the T20I series against New Zealand includes: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper).