The BCCI recently unveiled India’s 15-member squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which is set to begin in the subcontinent on February 7. As the reigning champions and the top-ranked T20I side in the world, India will enter the tournament as strong contenders for the trophy. Their dominance in recent times has largely been driven by a settled core, with most key players continuing to feature consistently over the past couple of years.
That said, the selection committee and team management were not afraid to take some tough and bold decisions while finalising the squad. In doing so, a few players who had either shown promise or contributed significantly in the recent past were left out. While selection is always competitive, some omissions stood out more than others.
India’s squad for the T20 World Cup includes Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, and Washington Sundar.
On that note, here are three players who were unlucky to miss out on India’s squad for the T20 World Cup.
#3 Shubman Gill
Purely in terms of recent T20I performances, Shubman Gill’s exclusion may appear justified, as the right-hander has struggled for consistency in the format for a prolonged period. His form had been under scrutiny for some time before the selectors finally decided to move on. However, what makes his omission contentious is the manner in which it was handled.
Reports suggest Gill was not informed beforehand and was surprised by the decision. In fact, he might have even played the fifth T20I against South Africa despite injury concerns had he known his place was at risk. Having been appointed vice-captain not long ago, Gill is likely to feel aggrieved. While his batting returns do leave room for criticism, better communication and long-term planning from the BCCI could have softened the blow.
#2 Yashasvi Jaiswal
Despite Shubman Gill’s absence, Yashasvi Jaiswal also failed to secure a spot in the final squad. One of India’s most explosive openers in the format, the left-hander can count himself extremely unlucky.
Jaiswal’s omission appears to be linked to team balance, as India opted for a wicket-keeper at the top of the order, a role he does not currently fulfil. Even though he has delivered consistently at the international level and boasts outstanding IPL performances, a combination of factors has prevented him from cementing a regular place in the T20I side.
#1 Jitesh Sharma
Not long ago, Jitesh Sharma looked like India’s first-choice wicket-keeper in T20Is. Fast forward a couple of matches, and he finds himself out of the World Cup squad, with Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh preferred ahead of him. While Jitesh does have technical limitations and occasional inconsistency, his performances since returning to the side have been largely impressive.
Frequently rotated with Sanju Samson, he was never given a prolonged run to fully establish himself. Despite making noticeable improvements during the 2025 IPL season, he didn’t get sufficient opportunities at the international level to showcase them. Given the circumstances, Jitesh has valid reasons to feel unlucky and disappointed with the selectors’ call.
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