On Saturday, Team India revealed their 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka next year. The announcement brought some surprising changes that caught many fans off guard. One of the biggest surprises was the decision to leave out Shubman Gill, who had previously served as the vice-captain. Alongside him, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma also missed the cut for the squad. In a twist, the selectors opted for Ishan Kishan, the captain of Jharkhand and the recent winner of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Ishan had an outstanding tournament, racking up 517 runs in 10 matches with an impressive strike rate of 197.33 and an average of 57.44. His leadership helped guide his team to victory, showcasing his strong skills on the field. Ajit Agarkar reveals the reason behind Jitesh Sharma’s replacement During the squad announcement, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar clarified why Jitesh Sharma was left out. “Shubman was the vice-captain, he's not in the team. Axar was the vice-captain when the T20s used to clash. About continuity, you're looking at combinations. If your keeper is going to bat at the top, you want a keeper who can play there. Jitesh was there, Shubman is a quality player and unfortunate to miss out. Combinations more than anything else, two keepers at the top. Rinku comes who gives that lower middle order option," Also Read | Records Broken by Indian Batters in the 5th T20I vs South Africa Interestingly, India has already named Sanju Samson as their primary wicketkeeper and opener, along with Abhishek Sharma. In this context, Ishan Kishan makes perfect sense as a backup, given that he can also open the innings, making him a solid replacement for Samson. While Jitesh Sharma did well whenever he got the opportunity, the team’s shift in strategy after dropping Shubman Gill left no room for a middle-order wicketkeeper-batter in the final lineup. Rinku Singh has also been brought into the squad, adding depth to the lower middle order. This same team will represent India in the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, kicking off on January 21. India Squad for T20 World Cup 2026 Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan