India’s T20 World Cup Squad Unveiled: Key Players Left Out and Why

Shubman Gill

One of the most unexpected developments from India’s squad announcement was the omission of Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill. Gill, who served as vice-captain of the T20I team, had been the regular opener with Abhishek Sharma since the Asia Cup 2025. However, his performance has been underwhelming since replacing Sanju Samson, scoring only 291 runs in 15 innings at an average of 24.25, which raised concerns about his role in the team.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that Gill’s exclusion was largely due to the team’s decision to have an opening batsman who can also keep wickets. This strategy provides flexibility in choosing between an all-rounder or a specialist batsman for the lower order, depending on the circumstances. Consequently, Samson returns as an opener, with Ishan Kishan being called up as a backup due to his outstanding performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025.

Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma has also been affected by India’s preference for a top-order batsman who can keep wickets. Despite his consistent presence in the team since the Asia Cup 2025, the 32-year-old has been excluded from the squad, with Ishan Kishan taking his place. His absence is attributed not to his performance but rather to the team’s emphasis on flexibility, which doesn’t align with Jitesh’s specialized role.

The Indian team has leaned towards the all-round capabilities of Washington Sundar and the adaptability of Rinku Singh over Jitesh’s finishing skills.

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s undeniable talent and impressive IPL record have made it unfortunate that he hasn’t had more opportunities in the shortest format. Jaiswal, a specialist opener, generally doesn’t bat in any other position, but the rise of Abhishek Sharma at the top has relegated him to a reserve opener role in the T20I squad.

Given these circumstances, Jaiswal was always a long shot for the T20 World Cup squad. With India’s preference for a wicketkeeper as an opener, unless an unforeseen injury affects Abhishek Sharma, Jaiswal’s chances of making it into the side seem slim at the moment.

Published on Dec 20, 2025