How India, Ireland and England look different from the T20 World Cup (Image: X)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced India’s squad for the upcoming T20I tours of Ireland and England, and the selections signal the beginning of a new chapter in the team’s white-ball journey.
While the core of India’s T20 World Cup-winning side remains intact, the latest squad features a new captain, several new faces and the absence of a few established stars.
Shreyas Iyer replaces Suryakumar Yadav as captain
Perhaps the biggest change is at the top. Shreyas Iyer has been named India’s new T20I captain, succeeding Suryakumar Yadav, who led India after they won the 2026 T20 World Cup. The move marks the beginning of a new leadership cycle as India begins preparations for the 2028 T20 World Cup.Tilak Varma has also been promoted to the position of vice-captain, confirming the management’s belief in the young left-hander as a captain for the future.
Six new faces, six major exits
Compared to the T20 World Cup squad, India has made six significant changes.Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Rinku Singh are among the players who participated in the World Cup build-up but are absent from the squad for the Ireland-England tour. While Bumrah and Hardik got to rest and manage with their long-term fitness goals in mind.
The upcoming players are Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi headlines the new-look team
No casting has generated more excitement than that of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals pacer completed one of the most remarkable rises in the history of Indian cricket. After dominating the Under-19 World Cup and putting in a sensational season in IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi earned his maiden call-up to the senior Indian team. The left-handed prodigy scored 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30 during IPL 2026 and is now on the verge of becoming the youngest player ever to represent the India men’s team.
India squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Suryakumar Yadav (centre), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dubey, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj (alternative).
India T20I squad for Ireland vs England
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dubey, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.