India have just one T20 international series left to play before the T20 World Cup 2026. The ongoing home series against South Africa will wrap up on Friday, after which Team India will face New Zealand in a T20 series scheduled for January.
With preparations entering the final phase, the Indian squad for the World Cup is expected to be announced soon – possibly as early as this week. This has sparked intense discussion around which players will make the final 15-member list.
Squad announcement timeline
As per reports, the men’s selection committee is likely to meet on Saturday, December 20. On the same day, selectors are expected to finalise both the squad for the upcoming T20 series against New Zealand and the team for the T20 World Cup 2026.
There is a strong possibility that the official announcement will also be made on Saturday.
Under ICC regulations, participating teams must submit their squads at least one month before the tournament begins. While changes can still be made later with approval from the ICC’s technical committee, each team is allowed to name a maximum of 15 players for the tournament.
Likely picks under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership
Suryakumar Yadav is set to lead India at the T20 World Cup 2026. If fully fit, Shubman Gill is widely expected to be named vice-captain.
Abhishek Sharma, currently the world’s top-ranked T20 batter, is considered an automatic selection, while Tilak Varma is also seen as a guaranteed pick due to his consistency with the bat and sharp fielding.
For wicketkeeper’s role, Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma are likely to be preferred. The all-rounder department is expected to feature Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Shivam Dube, all of whom offer balance to the side.
In the bowling unit, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are near-certain selections, with Harshit Rana emerging as a strong contender for the third seamer’s spot following impressive recent performances. Given the importance of spin in Indian conditions, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy are also expected to be included.
India’s probable squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh.
T20 World Cup 2026 groups
Group A: India, Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, Namibia
Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman
Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, Italy
Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE
