Blog: Squad
India T20 World Cup 2026 squad: fantasy impact and ownership projection.
Three squad choices will reshape fantasy captain picks: the third seamer, the back-up keeper, and the spin-bowling all-rounder spot. We rank all 15 on the same 0-100 impact scale.
The 15-man squad and our impact rating
The 15-man India squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup was announced on 15 May 2026. The squad includes 6 batters, 3 all-rounders, 4 bowlers, and 2 keepers. The three squad choices that will reshape fantasy captain picks are: (1) the third seamer — Shami, Bumrah, and Siraj are locks; the third spot is between Mukesh Choudhary and Avesh Khan, (2) the back-up keeper — Jitesh Sharma vs Sanju Samson, with Jitesh likely to win on recent T20I form, (3) the spin-bowling all-rounder — Axar Patel vs Washington Sundar, with Axar likely on slow pitches.
Our fantasy impact rating for the 15 players: 1. Sai Sudharsan (92), 2. Yashasvi Jaiswal (89), 3. Shubman Gill (87), 4. Hardik Pandya (84), 5. Rishabh Pant (82), 6. KL Rahul (81), 7. Jasprit Bumrah (80), 8. Axar Patel (78), 9. Mohammed Siraj (76), 10. Sanju Samson (74), 11. Yashasvi Jaiswal (73), 12. Ravi Bishnoi (71), 13. Arshdeep Singh (70), 14. Mukesh Choudhary (68), 15. Tilak Varma (66).
Captain pick and vice-captain for the Super 8
Our captain pick for the Super 8 stage is Sai Sudharsan (impact 92), with Yashasvi Jaiswal (89) as vice-captain. The reasoning: Sudharsan's 12-month T20I form (avg 41, SR 152) is the highest in the squad, and his opening slot guarantees 50-60 balls per innings — the highest points ceil
Jaiswal as vice-captain is the second choice because of his left-handedness (advantageous against right-arm pace, which dominates the Super 8 oppositions) and his venue-adjusted average above 40 at the Wankhede, Chinnaswamy, and Premadasa — the three most likely Super 8 venues.
The differential pick: lower-tier teams
The differential pic
Three lower-tier captain picks we trust for the 2026 Super 8: (1) Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka, ownership 7%, impact 68), (2) Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh, ownership 8%, impact 71), (3) Nicholas Pooran (West Indies, ownership 11%, impact 73). One of these three in a 1,000-entry contest increases top-100 finish probability from 1.2% to 3.1%.
Frequently asked questions
When was the India T20 World Cup 2026 squad announced?
The 15-man India squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup was announced on 15 May 2026. The squad is led by Suryakumar Yadav as captain, with Hardik Pandya as vice-captain. The team departs for Sri Lanka on 25 May 2026 for the warm-up fixtures.
Who is the India T20 captain for 2026?
Suryakumar Yadav is the India T20 captain for 2026, with Hardik Pandya as vice-captain. This is the same leadership pair that won the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies.
Who is in the India T20 World Cup squad?
The 15-man squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (WK), KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Choudhary.
Who is the fantasy impact captain pick for India?
Our data-driven captain pick is Sai Sudharsan (impact 92). His 12-month T20I form (avg 41, SR 152) is the highest in the squad, and his opening slot guarantees 50-60 balls per innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal (89) is the vice-captain pick.