ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is going to start from 7th February in India and Sri Lanka. BCCI has announced the Indian team before the tournament. Suryakumar Yadav has been given the captaincy of the team, while Akshar Patel has been made the vice-captain. Many new faces are included in this team, but the special thing is that there are five players who have been a part of the T20 World Cup played in UAE in 2021. India’s performance in that tournament was disappointing and the team was out of the group stage. Now these same players will once again play the World Cup in a new role and under changed circumstances.

Ishaan Kishan

Wicketkeeper batsman Ishan Kishan was included in the Indian squad in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Although he played only one match in the entire tournament. He could score only 4 runs in that match. In 2026, Ishan has returned to the team as a more experienced player and will be expected to have a fast start and strength behind the wicket.

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav also played in the 2021 T20 World Cup, but his bat did not work then. He scored a total of 42 runs in four matches. This time Suryakumar is not only the most important batsman of the team, but is also leading the team as the captain. The 2026 World Cup is being considered the biggest test of his career.

Varun Chakraborty

The 2021 T20 World Cup was no less than a nightmare for mystery spinner Varun Chakraborty. He played three matches, but could not take a single wicket. After this he remained out of the team for a long time. Now after a strong comeback, he has got a chance again and this time he will be expected to bowl effectively.

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah was India’s most reliable bowler in the 2021 T20 World Cup. He had taken seven wickets in five matches. Bumrah has also played the 2016 T20 World Cup before this. Even in 2026, he will have a big responsibility of taking wickets and creating pressure in the death overs.

hardik pandya

Hardik Pandya was also a part of the 2021 T20 World Cup team. He did not appear fully fit in that tournament and could score 69 runs in only three innings in five matches. Now once again he is an important player of the team in the role of all-rounder and he will be expected to contribute with both bat and ball.

The Indian cricket team will enter the T20 World Cup 2026 under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav. However, since his selection, the discussion has intensified that this tournament could also be his last as captain. Considering Suryakumar’s age, recent form and future planning of BCCI, the question is natural that if Suryya leaves the captaincy, then who will be the next T20 captain.

Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy record strong

After Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20 cricket, BCCI handed over the responsibility of captaincy to Suryakumar Yadav. He was given preference over Pandya. Surya’s record as captain has been impressive. Under his captaincy, India has not lost any T20 series till now. India has registered 28 wins in 39 T20 International matches, while facing defeat in only 6 matches. However, there was definitely a lack of consistency in his batting performance in 2025, which is a matter of concern for the selectors. If his performance does not improve even till the T20 World Cup 2026, then questions may be raised on his captaincy. In the current situation, three players appear to be at the forefront of this race.

Shubhman Gill

Even though Shubman Gill may not have got a place in the current T20 team due to poor form, his name is considered to be at the forefront in the race for captaincy. BCCI is thinking that in future, only one captain should be kept in all three formats. Gill is already commanding the Test and ODI teams. In such a situation, handing over the responsibility of the T20 team to Suryakumar could be a natural step. Considering his age and future, the selectors consider Gill as a long term option.

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is a strong contender in the matter of captaincy. His leadership has been highly praised after leading KKR to the title in IPL 2024 and taking Punjab Kings to the final in IPL 2025. Leadership quality is clearly visible in Shreyas and his performance under captaincy further improves. In IPL 2025, 604 runs were scored with his bat. His average was more than 50 and his strike rate was also 175 plus. If he continues to perform well after getting opportunities in T20 Internationals, it will be difficult for the selectors to ignore him.

Akshar Patel

Axar Patel has recently been made the vice-captain of the T20 team, which shows his growing stature. He is a senior player in the dressing room and has won big tournaments. The experience of captaincy in IPL also goes in his favor. If the selectors want a calm and balanced captain, Akshar can also be a strong option.