Past, Present, Future: What India’s New T20I Squad Really Signals
- Anshul Tekriwal
- 17 minutes ago
- 12 min read
Earlier this month, the BCCI announced India’s squads for the upcoming 2-match T20I series against Ireland, the 5-match T20I series against England and the 2026 T20-format Asian Games in Japan.
This sequence of T20I series is the first time we will see the Men in Blue suit up in the shortest format after their T20 World Cup win earlier this year, and the team will look to start their new cycle with the same domination as before. The squad selection has been thoroughly discussed and dissected by pundits and experts around the world for the changes the BCCI has implemented and the new players they have chosen.
India squad for T20I series against Ireland and England: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Suryansh Shegde, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prasidh Krishna.
The squad is largely identical for the 2026 Asian Games, with one key change — Jasprit Bumrah comes in, while Prasidh Krishna and Prince Yadav are left out.
*Note: Siraj has been advised a period of rest as part of his workload management programme and has been replaced by Prasidh Krishna for the Ireland and England T20I series. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the T20I series against Ireland and England due to a quadriceps injury and has been replaced by Suryansh Shegde.
The BCCI has clearly made some bold decisions while picking the squads for the upcoming matches and is setting the structure for the 2028 T20 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. The intent is clear — eye a hat-trick of World Cup trophies, and reward merit over legacy. They have made calls based on recent form, both in the domestic circuit as well as the recently concluded Indian Premier League, to put together the strongest team from the available pool of players. That direction is visible in the squad itself — Ishan Kishan’s recall reflects the domestic pathway after his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy run, while newer names like Shegde and Prince Yadav show that the selectors are rewarding recent IPL impact. Bishnoi’s inclusion also gives India a specialist wrist-spin option for the next cycle, showing that the management wants to test younger options in place of Kuldeep Yadav.
However, beyond the squad lists, three names stand out as the clear indicators of where Indian T20I cricket is headed. Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The past, present and future of India’s T20I plans.
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PAST: SKYfall signals India’s ruthless reset
We have never seen a World Cup-winning captain of a cricketing nation being dropped not only from their leadership position but from their place in the 15-man playing squad as well. While the decision has shocked a lot of fans all across the world, it may not have surprised a few.
SKY has been going through a lean patch of form over the last 2 years in international cricket. In 2025, he scored a mere 218 runs in 19 matches, at career lows in average and strike rate, at 13.62 and 123.16, respectively. The 5-match T20I series against New Zealand in January, right before the World Cup, saw a slight resurgence in his form — he scored 3 fifties and looked in good touch. Over the 14 matches he has played for India in 2026, he has scored 484 runs with 4 fifties to his name, averaging 44 at a strike rate of 161.33 (the second highest peak of his T20I career). However, he could not continue that form in the IPL, where he struggled to score runs and ended the campaign with just 270 runs in 13 matches, with an average of 20.76 (the lowest in his time with Mumbai Indians) at a strike rate of 147.54 (again, his lowest since the 2022 season).
From November 2024 to January 2026, data points to a specific problem against pace. 18 of his 19 dismissals in this period have come against seamers, with his average having fallen to just 8.11 with a strike rate just under 110. Out of these 18 pace dismissals, SKY has gotten out 13 times within the first 10 balls he has faced. Teams have been using pace up front to unsettle him, especially in international cricket, with 80% of his first 10 balls being against seam bowling. By contrast, only 1 dismissal out of 19 has come against spin, marking no real decline against spin bowling.
Glaringly, SKY’s leg-side dominant batting has crumbled. His average has fallen from 53 to 6.14, and his signature flick off the pads has let him down time and time again. Another textbook shot of his, driving on the up, has had a similar decline. Simply put, he has been struggling to dominate pace bowlers down the ground.
If this is truly the last we have seen of Suryakumar Yadav in Indian colours, then it is truly the end of a golden era, not only in India’s T20I history but in its cricketing history as a whole.
A young SKY fought against all odds and kept fighting for selection to the Indian team; he finally broke down the selectors’ door in 2021, at the age of 30, after repeated stellar performances in the IPL and the domestic circuit had made it impossible to ignore him. Famously known as a hard-hitting 360-degree batter, he showcased his all-round batting skills on the international stage from the moment he debuted. His hook shot six against Jofra Archer on the first ball of his international career set the tone for a highly decorated stint where he represented India in all three formats (he earned his solitary Test cap in 2023 against Australia) and established himself as a stalwart of the white-ball game. His four T20I centuries are the second-most by any batter in the format’s history; he boasts the most 50+ scores in the format at a strike rate of 200+, and his 17 Player of the Match awards (in 11 different countries) rank him joint-third of all time. At the age of 32, he became the World No. 1 in the T20I Batting standings.
As T20I captain, SKY took Team India to an Asia Cup victory and defended the T20 World Cup on home soil. He led by example as the team reached unprecedented heights as an intent-oriented, fearless batting unit and a strong all-round bowling attack which could defend any target. He exits the national setup as a two-time T20 World Cup winner, an Asia Cup winner, a 2-time ICC T20 Cricketer of the Year award winner (in 2022 and 2023), the highest-win percentage among captains in T20I history (80.76%, with 42 wins, only 8 losses and 2 no-results), and the record of being the only Indian captain to hit an overseas T20I century — one of India’s greatest-ever T20I batsmen and leaders.
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PRESENT: Shreyas Iyer’s Reinvention Earns Him the Captaincy
Shreyas Iyer can be compared to Sisyphus in the sense that his personal achievements and accolades are his rock, which he carries up the mountain only to get pushed down and do it all over again. Not only has Iyer been selected in the 15-man squad for all 3 series, but he has also been named the captain of the T20I side. He is finally reaping the rewards of years of hard work and being neglected. This time, the rock has not rolled back down. Iyer has carried it all the way to captaincy.
In 2025, Iyer became the second-highest bid-for-player in IPL auction history at a whopping INR 26.75 Cr. to Punjab Kings, who were in dire need of an aggressive yet reliable Indian middle-order batsman. That they bagged a leader who almost took them to the Land of Champions, a place Punjab has only ever dreamt of, was a huge bonus. In his first year, Iyer amassed 604 runs (his first 600+ IPL runs season) at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. He not only dominated through his batting, but also led the team to the IPL Final, Punjab’s first since 2014. Despite losing to RCB, Iyer instilled long-forgotten hope in the hearts of Punjab supporters and created a team where aggressive yet sensible batting was the mantra.
In 2026, he led Punjab to one of their best starts ever, winning 6 out of 7 games (1 was washed out). But things quickly turned sour, as the team went on to lose the next 6 consecutive games — going from being table toppers for consecutive weeks to being out of the playoffs entirely. However, Iyer is still an IPL-winning captain, and Indian team supporters couldn’t be more excited to watch him take over at the helm with Gautam Gambhir by his side — a familiar partnership from their 2024 KKR days, which yielded a famous IPL title.
It is not all sunshine and rainbows. Iyer has had his personal share of setbacks when it comes to technique and, particularly, playing short-pitched balls. For years, pundits and experts would critique Iyer for being unable to play short-length balls, and it was heavily used by teams to get him out.
Season | Balls | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
IPL 2022 | 90 | 117 | 39.0 | 130.0 |
IPL 2024 | 79 | 101 | 50.5 | 127.8 |
IPL 2025 | 33 | 65 | 65.0 | 197.0 |
Shreyas Iyer’s IPL stats against pace bowling shorter than 8m length. He missed the 2023 season through injury. (Source: Wisden)
Iyer improved his average from 39 in 2022 to 50.5 in 2024, when he returned from injury and led KKR to the title. However, his strike rate still needed to improve, with 130 and 127.8 unacceptable in the shortest format. Incremental improvements finally paid off, with his 2025 season with Punjab seeing him navigate the shorter ball with confidence and ease — his average improved to 65, but importantly, he was now striking at 197. In other words, instead of just improving his defence, he levelled up his attack.
It all boils down to some key changes to his technique.
Firstly, he has adopted a different stance at the crease, one which is more “open”, i.e., his front leg is out of the way, and two, his back lift is much higher and angled towards point/gully. As observed by Michael Clarke, he has introduced a trigger movement when the bowler is about to release the ball - he takes a significant backward step and transfers weight to his back foot, which he can use to transfer momentum from his back foot to the front foot.
Even from a side point of view, Iyer has worked on a number of technical changes. Firstly, notice the position of his feet - by introducing the trigger movement, he allows himself to play from deeper in the crease, which gives him about half a second more to watch and play the ball on its merit. If it’s short, this change allows him to not get rushed into playing a rash shot. Second, he has made a conscious effort to plant his back foot on the ground. On the left side, the back foot is in the air, which destabilises him and makes him lose out on generating extra power.
Third, he has also made a change to how he controls his aggression. Up to his time with KKR, he rolled his wrists to keep the ball down and smother the extra bounce. But now, with the leaned-back body position and the momentum shifting from his back foot to his front foot, Iyer is able to keep a more open bat face, which allows him to hit the ball longer and higher.
The short ball has not disappeared as a plan against Iyer, but it is no longer the low-risk option it once was. The final chink in the armour has been largely rectified, and his attention to detail and humility to constantly work on improving the basics bodes well for the new-look India, whose new captain is all the more dangerous for it.
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FUTURE: Sooryavanshi is not too young for India to bet on
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi might just become the youngest-ever debutant in international cricket history, and no one is shocked. The 15-year-old prodigy from Bihar started turning heads when he was selected by Rajasthan Royals in the 2025 IPL Auction for a whopping INR 1.1 Cr. That price tag made heads turn, among spectators and experts alike. What was the Rajasthan management thinking? Most observers expected the then-14-year-old Sooryavanshi to develop in the nets, rather than play competitive matches.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.
The youngster appeared in 7 matches and scored 252 runs at an average of 36 and an aggressive strike rate of 206.55, while becoming the youngest centurion in the sport, scoring 101 against world-class bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma. This was him just showing a glimpse of his reservoir of talent. In 2026, he became a full-time opener for Rajasthan alongside Yashaswi Jaiswal, and became the highest run-scorer, winning the Orange Cap in quite some style — with a mammoth 776 runs in 16 matches, at an average of 48.5 and an attacking strike rate of 237.3. He bashed spinners and seamers all over the park, became a mainstay in Rajasthan’s lineup and carried them to the playoffs, where he scored 90+ runs in both their games and came agonisingly close to breaking Chris Gayle’s 13-year record (100 in 30 balls) for the fastest century ever.
During the IPL, it was the Master Blaster himself, Sachin Tendulkar, on punditry duty, who complimented Sooryavanshi’s technique. “The most fascinating thing about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is his wrist work. He is not slogging the ball. He is picking the line and length earlier than others.” It doesn’t hurt that he also packs a punch with a powerful bat swing that allows him to clear the boundary line with ease. Importantly, he complements his hitting with assured foot movement, which Tendulkar was quick to point out after Sooryavanshi’s blistering 29-ball 97. He clears his front foot early to create room for balls aimed at his legs. However, this is not to defend his wicket against a yorker or LBW appeal, but instead, to give himself the freedom to pick his shots. This helps him swing hard across a much bigger arc of movement, much like a baseball hitter, generating extreme power even against express pace.
Between two seasons of the IPL, Sooryavanshi continued his exploits with the bat in the U19 World Cup, where he smashed 439 runs (the 2nd most in the tournament) at a phenomenal average of 62.71 to power India to their sixth title. His most notable knock came in the final against England, as he single-handedly dismantled the English bowling lineup with a blistering 175 in just 80 balls. Overall, he hit 41 fours, 30 sixes, 3 fifties and 1 century in the tournament.
Most recently, Sooryavanshi was selected in the India A squad for a Tri Series tournament between India A, Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A. In the final against Sri Lanka A, he came out all guns blazing to break the all-time record for fastest 50 in List A history. He first scored a 50 in just 11 balls (5 fours, 5 sixes, only 1 dot ball) and then proceeded to score 94 runs in just 29 balls. His knock set India A on course for the trophy, and fittingly, he was named Player of the Match.
Sooryavanshi’s talent and right-out-the-gate aggressive batting are something no one has ever seen, and he is actively changing how future generations are going to view and play the sport. He is already a young face of the IPL, a generational talent, and is already showcasing that at an extremely young age in front of the entire world. He is unlikely to gain a starting berth anytime soon, as it will be difficult to split India’s opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, especially with the steep competition that experienced batters like Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal bring. But that is not the point of his selection. His time may not come immediately, but it is coming. He could dominate the sport for 20+ years, and this is his first taste of the elite level he will need to prove himself at.
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India’s latest T20I squad announcement shows a real glimpse into how BCCI sees the next cycle. Suryakumar’s omission shows that even legacy, trophies and captaincy success will not guarantee a spot in the squad. BCCI is no longer selecting on the basis of legacy. They are selecting what each player offers to the next cycle. Shreyas Iyer’s rise shows the other side of the coin, where consistency and efforts to reinvent your game to stay relevant in the fast-paced T20 environment will be rewarded by the system. Lastly, Sooryavanshi’s inclusion signals how aggressively BCCI is looking towards the future.
This is what makes the squad fascinating. It is not a clean break from the past, nor is it a blind investment in youth. It is a reset based on form, role clarity and long-term planning. India are coming off a dominant T20I World Cup campaign, but this squad selection shows that they are doubling down on their winning formula — evolution. In today’s era of fast-paced T20 cricket, the best teams evolve before they are forced to, and India are showcasing that exact champion mentality. This squad reflects a side trying to stay ahead of the competition curve and the format.
Only time will tell if these changes were bold or premature, but as of now, the Indian T20I team is evolving from a champion side to a future-ready side that values adaptability, intent and future-readiness.
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Edited by Aneek Chatterjee and Maleah Mehta.
A version of this piece was first published on the author's personal blog page.
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