BCCI set to announce India’s squads for T20 World Cup and T20I series against NZ tomorrow

The Indian squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the upcoming T20I series will be announced on Saturday at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters in Mumbai. The announcement will be made by T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

India will face New Zealand in a five-match T20I series, with matches scheduled across multiple venues in the country. The series opener will be held at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on January 21.

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For the T20 World Cup, India have been placed in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan and the United States. The team will begin their campaign against the United States on February 7 in Mumbai.

Abhishek Sharma appears to be a near-certainty for the World Cup squad following a dream year in T20 cricket. The left-hander scored 825 runs in 20 matches at an average of 43.42 and a strike rate of over 195, registering one century and five half-centuries, with a highest score of 135.

Despite a dip in form, Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill are expected to retain their places in the squad. Gill returned from a neck injury sustained during the Test series but struggled to make an impact in the ongoing T20Is. He will also miss the final match of the series against South Africa after picking up a toe injury during practice.

Yadav, meanwhile, has endured a lean run with the bat, scoring 213 runs in 20 matches at an average of 14.20 and a strike rate just above 125, without registering a half-century. However, he has led India to a 2-1 lead in the current T20I series.

Tilak Varma could be another strong contender following his performance in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan and his consistent record in run-chases at No. 3. In T20Is this year, he has accumulated 494 runs at an average of 44.90 and a strike rate of over 124, including three fifties.

Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma provide additional depth to the wicketkeeping options, while Ishan Kishan has boosted his case after leading Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. Kishan finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, amassing 517 runs in 10 innings, including two centuries and two half-centuries, with one hundred coming in the final against Haryana.

The all-rounders’ department is expected to be bolstered by Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, offering balance and flexibility to the squad.

Kuldeep Yadav, who has been consistent across formats this year, could serve as the lone specialist spinner, alongside the spin-bowling all-round options of Sundar and Axar. In the pace department, Jasprit Bumrah is set to lead the attack, supported by Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.