Former India wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik has reacted to Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma’s snub from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
“India’s World Cup T20 squad is announced, and guess what? Shubman Gill, the current vice-captain of the T20 team and incumbent opener, has been dropped not just from the eleven, but from the squad. And they wanted to bring in an extra opener, so they brought in Ishan Kishan and dropped Jitesh Sharma as well, and instead of Jitesh Sharma, it’s going to be Rinku Singh,” he said.
“That is huge news, dropping Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma. I didn’t see that coming. Just tells you there’s a little bit of clarity lacking. They backed Shubman Gill for so long, and come the day when they picked the squad, they have let him go.”
The right-handed batter also pointed out the areas vulnerability and how the absence of experienced campaigners like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can be felt in a World Cup.
“A couple of areas of vulnerability that India would have for the first time ever in a T20 World Cup. They will have no experience of the two greatest that’s probably ever played, Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli in a World Cup team. And the second point would be Suryakumar Yadav’s form, but we all know how good he is, that vulnerable aspect. Will it change into a strength if he finds form? It definitely will,” he said.
“Well, let’s just finish by saying. Shubman Gill I didn’t see that coming, and I feel really bad for Jitesh Sharma. Two shocking omissions from this squad,” he said.
The 15-man squad will be led by Suryakumar Yadav while Axar Patel has been named his deputy. Wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson is likely to open the innings with Abhishek Sharma at the top. Apart from this, Ishan Kishan was also named in the squad as the second wicket-keeper batter.
India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Axar Patel (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar
