India T20I squad for New Zealand series announced: Shubman Gill dropped, Ishan Kishan returns, new vice-captain appointed, his name is…

Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel announced India's squad for New Zealand T2OI series the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup on Saturday, December 20, at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, with T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav also present

New Delhi: Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh have been included in India’s 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, as well as the five-match T20I series against New Zealand ahead of the tournament. Suryakumar Yadav will captain the team, with Axar Patel serving as his deputy.

Shubman Gill was appointed as the vice-captain ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 along with Jitesh Sharma, have been excluded of the squad. The 15-member team for the New Zealand series and T20 World Cup 2026 was announced on Saturday (December 20) from the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, captain Suryakumar Yadav, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

Axar Patel has been re-appointed as the vice-captain. Earlier. he served as Suryakumar’s deputy in the five-match series against England in January and February, after which Shubman Gill took over the role during India’s next T20I assignment.

Gill missed the last two T20Is after sustaining a foot injury in the nets ahead of the abandoned T20I in Lucknow. However, it was a disappointing year for him in the format, as he managed to score only 291 runs in 15 innings at an average of 24.25 and a strike rate of 137.26.

Kishan, on the other hand, enjoyed a stellar season in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, leading Jharkhand to the title as captain. He amassed 517 runs in just 10 innings at an average of 57.32, with an impressive strike rate of 197.32, which included two fifties and two centuries, highlighted by a match-winning 101 off 49 balls in the final against Haryana.

The batting unit features a strong and dynamic lineup, including Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, and Ishan Kishan. Hardik Pandya, who smashed 63 off 25 balls in the final T20I in Ahmedabad, is one of four all-rounders in the squad, alongside Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, and Washington Sundar.

The bowling composition includes three frontline pacers and two frontline spinners. Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace attack while Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana are the other two fast-bowlers. The spinners include Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.

Ahead of India’s T20 World Cup campaign, they will take on New Zealand in a series comprising three ODIs and five T20Is. The T20I matches are scheduled from January 21 to January 31 as preparation for the tournament, while the squad for the three ODIs, set to be played from January 11 to January 18, will be announced later.

India’s T20I squad for New Zealand series: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Axar Patel (vc), Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh