Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jan 6: Former India spin legend Harbhajan Singh has praised chief selector Ajit Agarkar and the national selection committee for picking a “really good” and well-balanced squad for India’s title defence at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin in February in the sub-continent.
On December 20, 2025, the Agarkar-led selection panel announced India’s 15-member squad for the global showpiece, making India the first among the 20 participating teams to unveil its lineup. Harbhajan said the selectors deserved full marks for their choices, even as he admitted feeling disappointed over the omission of ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill.
“The team is really good. I had told that Ajit should be given 10/10 for the team. I felt a little bad for Shubman, but he will get more chances soon. All the players are match winners in their own right. Hope we can win back-to-back World Cups because we have that team,” Harbhajan told.
Gill, who had returned as vice-captain during the 2025 Asia Cup in September, lost out on a place in the final squad, with Sanju Samson preferred. Harbhajan said the decision was more about team balance and the demands of the T20 format rather than Gill’s ability or form.
He also pointed out that captain Suryakumar Yadav was going through a lean patch but expressed confidence that the star batter would deliver when it mattered most. “Suryakumar has not made many runs, but when the World Cup comes, we will need big players to fire. He will shine bright in that big match,” Harbhajan said.
Highlighting the squad’s depth, he added that Abhishek Sharma could single-handedly win matches, while Hardik Pandya’s current form makes him a key player. Harbhajan also underlined the importance of India’s pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
Explaining Gill’s exclusion further, Harbhajan said the selectors opted for an extra wicket-keeping option in Ishan Kishan, with Samson and Abhishek Sharma listed as first-choice openers. “I think Shubman Gill was left out solely because of the T20 format and the combination Team India wanted. Otherwise, I never had any doubt that he would not be in the ODI or Test team,” he said.
India’s squad for the T20 World Cup includes Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh.