The announcement of Team India for the T20 World Cup has raised several questions. Suryakumar Yadav will captain India in the World Cup, with Axar Patel as his deputy. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had already begun envisioning Shubman Gill as the future T20I captain. After the 2024 T20 World Cup, Suryakumar Yadav, who took over from Rohit Sharma, was aware that Shubman Gill would become his vice-captain by the Asia Cup 2025.
Shubman Gill, already leading the Test and ODI teams, was BCCI's choice to be the face across all formats, much like Virat Kohli once was. But these plans went on hold. During a Saturday press conference in Mumbai, when the T20 World Cup 2026 team for India was announced, the management seemed to have pressed the reset button. The effort to phase out Suryakumar Yadav and establish Gill was left in suspense.
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The Failure of the Shubman Gill Project
Before the Asia Cup 2025, India dismantled their stable opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Samson was replaced by Shubman Gill and given vice-captain duties. This decision drew criticism from former players and fans alike, as Samson's role as a wicketkeeper-opener provided solutions to many problems.
Despite this, Gill was given an opportunity. In his quest to adjust to India's ultra-aggressive T20 style, Shubman Gill lost his natural batting. He struggled consistently, failing to score even a half-century over 15 innings. The decision to bring Gill back was meant to stabilize the team post-retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, but it backfired.
Also read: 'He's a good player, but team combination is crucial...', Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar on excluding Shubman Gill
This turned out to be one of Ajit Agarkar's significant misjudgments during his tenure as chief selector. BCCI envisioned Shubman Gill taking over from Suryakumar Yadav. His leadership in Tests and ODIs had been exemplary, and his talent was never in doubt.
Yet, fate had other plans. The T20 team appeared better balanced without him, and he was dropped just before the World Cup. This wasn't Gill's fault, but another opener, Sanju Samson, emerged as a better fit for India's style.
Post-T20 World Cup 2026: Who After Suryakumar Yadav?
Irrespective of the T20 World Cup 2026 results, it's uncertain if Suryakumar Yadav will continue as captain in this format. His record as a captain is impressive, with a success rate of around 80 percent. Nonetheless, it seems that significant decisions are being made by Gautam Gambhir.
The primary concern remains Suryakumar Yadav's batting form. It's evident that he's more effective as a specialized batsman than as a captain.
Delving into statistics, Suryakumar Yadav has amassed 2771 runs in 91 T20I innings, with an average of 36 and a strike rate of about 164. This includes 4 centuries and 21 half-centuries. As a non-captain, his runs came from 58 innings at an average of over 43 and a strike rate above 168.
Conversely, as a full-time captain, he managed merely 431 runs in 26 innings, averaging below 19 with just 2 half-centuries. The year 2025 was worse—within 18 to 19 innings, he scored roughly 213–218 runs, averaging around 14, with a strike rate of 123–125 and no half-centuries.
According to a media report, BCCI is on the lookout for a new captain post-World Cup, regardless of Suryakumar's performance in the tournament, as the board is prepared to make bold decisions for the future.
Though Axar Patel is the vice-captain, the likelihood of him succeeding as captain appears slim. Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Kuldeep Yadav lack leadership experience. Among the potential contenders for this role is Shreyas Iyer, who has Robbin Uthappa's endorsement. However, a definitive decision is yet to emerge.
India's T20 World Cup 2026 Squad
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel (Vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.
