T20 World Cup 2026: 5 Indian cricketers who missed out on selection

Modern selection weighs matchups, pitch maps, bench utility and squad flexibility as heavily as raw numbers. India’s final 15 were assembled to defend a title on home turf, which is a plan that emphasised spin options, flexible finishers and a particular mix of keepers and openers. That meant world-class players missed out not because they lack talent, but because the selectors chose a specific blueprint. 

For fans, the omissions are reminders that international squads are shaped as much by context and contingency as they are by individual greatness and that, in a deep pool like India’s, even very good players can find themselves unlucky. Here are five Indian cricketers who missed out on selection in the T20 World Cup 2026.

1. Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer remains one of India’s finest middle-order technicians, capable of pacing an innings and finishing under pressure. Yet selectors opted for slightly different skill sets and squad balance for the home World Cup. 

Iyer’s absence was framed around the team’s need for players who fit the chosen combinations and matchups, not a sudden loss of ability. He was later added to the ongoing T20I group as cover when injuries and rotations surfaced, which underlines that selectors still value him but couldn’t fit him into the final 15. He is still in the scheme of things but has not been able to find his steady place in the T20I team.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s omission felt the sharpest to many observers. The left-handed opener has produced big runs in domestic and international white-ball cricket. Yet, questions over availability and perceived inconsistency in selection windows were flagged by state and national selectors. 

Commentators and former players openly questioned the decision, arguing Jaiswal’s power and strokeplay suited T20 conditions. The selectors, however, appeared to prioritise players who fit a specific balance for India’s planned combination. The debate over Jaiswal’s exclusion highlighted selection tensions between form, fitness and the team’s tactical needs.

3. Mohammad Siraj

Mohammed Siraj’s omission was more tactical. Siraj has been a key performer in both Test and ODI cricket for the Indian team. He has also been a useful T20 option, but workload management and India’s pivot toward a spin-heavy plan for subcontinental surfaces were cited as reasons he missed the cut. 

Siraj himself has suggested workload and rotation played a role, and analysts pointed to the selectors’ willingness to prioritise seam-allround balance and heavier spin if pitches demanded it. His honesty about the decision and calm response showed professional maturity after the snub.

4. Shubhman Gill

Shubman Gill’s name carried extra weight because of his status as a leading young Test and white-ball batter. Still, Rinku Singh, Ishan Kishan and others were preferred in the squad combination that the management believed would best defend India’s title at home. 

Gill’s omission was confirmed in official squad announcements and explained as a result of trying to fit finishing power, keeper options and left-right batting mixes within the overseas-and-domestic constraints of a 15-man group. The reaction showed how brutal selection is when multiple world-class batters compete for limited slots.

5. Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma’s heartbreak was painfully public. The wicketkeeper-batter, who had played several T20Is and produced important contributions in the IPL, said he learnt of his omission only after the squad was announced and called the experience “heartbreaking.” 

Selectors chose Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson as the wicketkeeping options, prioritising combinations that offered left-right batting balance and bench versatility. Jitesh’s exclusion underlined how keeper-selection involves more than batting alone. Team roles and overseas-quota thinking often decide such calls.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky365 and download the Sky365 App to start betting today!