Ishan Kishan has got a place in the Indian team for T20 World Cup 2026, but how? Did the selectors choose him in the team only because he scored a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final? Team India was announced on Saturday. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia along with Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar were present in the press conference.
Ajit Agarkar and Suryakumar Yadav told why Ishan Kishan has been selected in the team. Let us tell you that Ishaan played his last T20 International match in November 2023. Ishaan was continuously walking out of the team, during this time he was also out of BCCI’s central contract. However, he then got the contract and now returned to the national team, that too directly in the World Cup squad. It can be said that Ishaan came late but came early.
Agarkar-What did Surya say?
Everyone was surprised by the absence of Shubman Gill, who was the vice-captain of the team. Although he was injured, the reason for his being out of the World Cup is not the injury but his form. Agarkar said on this that he has not been able to score runs for some time, due to which he did not get a place. Agarkar said that the players who are in form were included. Here he pointed towards Ishaan, who was the top run scorer in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025. He was the only player who scored more than 500 runs.
Shubman Gill said in the press conference that it is not a matter of Gill’s form, rather we wanted to see the keeper at the top. Let us tell you that in the last T20 against South Africa, Sanju Samson, who came to open in the absence of Gill, gave a bright start to the team by scoring 37 runs in 22 balls. Ishan Kishan also opens, he is also in great form.
Indian team for T20 World Cup 2026
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakraborty, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper).
India’s schedule in T20 World Cup 2026
- 7 February- vs America (Mumbai)
- 12 February- vs Namibia (Delhi)
- 15 February- vs Pakistan (Colombo)
- 18 February- vs Netherlands (Ahmedabad)
