India Announces 15 Member Squad For Nz Series and T20 World Cup 2026 , Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh Returns and No place for Shubham Gill

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 International series against New Zealand and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The announcement was made at the BCCI headquarters by the selection committee led by chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

This new squad clearly shows that the Indian team management is ready to take tough decisions as India prepares to defend its T20 World Cup title at home.

Shubman Gill Dropped and Axar Patel appoint vice captain 

The biggest and most surprising decision is the exclusion of star batter Shubman Gill. Gill, who was earlier the vice-captain and seen as a future leader, has been left out due to poor form in T20 cricket.

In 2025, Gill struggled to make an impact in the shortest format. He scored only 291 runs in his last 15 T20I innings, with a strike rate of around 137 and no half-century. Because of this, the selectors decided to move on and focus on players who are performing better right now.

Axar Patel has been named vice-captain and will support skipper Suryakumar Yadav.

Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh make a comeback 

Replacing Gill at the top of the order is wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan. Kishan’s return comes after an excellent domestic season. He led Jharkhand to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and scored 517 runs in just 10 innings. His attacking style and left-handed batting give India more options at the top.

Middle-order batter Rinku Singh is also back in the squad. Known for his calm finishing skills, Rinku adds strength to the lower middle order, especially in tight run chases.

the opening slots are open for competition. Abhishek Sharma is expected to be a regular starter after scoring more than 800 T20 runs this year at a strike rate close to 195.

Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are also strong options at the top. Suryakumar Yadav will bat at No. 3 or 4, while Tilak Varma continues to impress with his calm and mature approach in pressure situations.

Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya bring pace bowling option with their all round ability

Jasprit Bumrah  will lead the pace attack with support from Arshdeep Singh and young pacer Harshit Rana.

Spin bowling will be crucial in home conditions. The team has Kuldeep Yadav and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, along with Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, giving India many spin options.

India will face New Zealand national cricket team in a five-match T20I series starting on January 21, 2026. This series will act as the final practice before the World Cup begins on February 7.

With the tournament being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, expectations will be very high. By dropping big names and backing in-form domestic players, the selectors have made it clear that performance matters more than reputation. The coming weeks will show whether this bold and aggressive approach helps India lift another T20 World Cup trophy.

India T20 Squad against New Zealand  five T20I Series and T20 World Cup 2026

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Surya Kumar Yadav (c), Ishan Kishan (wk),  Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vc), Washington Sundar, kuldeep yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy