Why was Suryakumar Yadav picked in India’s ICC T20 World Cup 2026 squad despite poor form?

The Indian Cricket Team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 was announced on Saturday and there were some surprises that shook many. Vice-captain Shubman Gill was dropped amid his poor performances in the shortest format of the game.

Shubman Gill made a comeback in the Indian T20I team in the Asia Cup 2025. He replaced Sanju Samson, who was in form, at the top, but couldn’t deliver. Ultimately, it saw India dropping him from the squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

With Shubman Gill getting dropped now, the attention has turned towards Suryakumar Yadav now. The Indian captain has an even worse record than Gill and his place in the team has come under massive pressure, especially with the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 around the corner.

In the last 19 innings, Suryakumar Yadav has mustered just 218 runs at a strike rate of 123.2.

Why was Suryakumar Yadav picked in India’s ICC T20 World Cup 2026 squad despite poor form

Suryakumar Yadav’s form is not for anyone to hide, but the reports in PTI suggest that his leadership has saved him. 

"SKY, who by virtue of being the skipper, kept his place despite a horrific one-year run, while Gill suffered as his game didn't seem as impactful as Abhishek Sharma's," the report stated.

The report added that Gautam Gambhir’s only focus is to win and today it was Gill, tomorrow it could be Suryakumar. 

"Anyone who knows Gambhir knows that for him, 'winning is not everything but the only thing'. Today it was Gill, tomorrow it could be Suryakumar," the report added

There have also been some reports which claimed that Suryakumar Yadav won’t continue as a captain after the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. It remains to be seen how he plays in the tournament.