Ishan Kishan
Former India cricketer questions Ishan Kishan and Washington Sundar’s T20 squad selection

Overview:

Jitesh, on the other hand, played the entire five-match series against the Proteas, scoring 37 runs in two innings.

Former India batter Wasim Jaffer has questioned the T20 World Cup selection decisions, highlighting the exclusion of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Jaffer expressed his surprise at the choices made by the selection panel headed by Ajit Agarkar, suggesting that both players should have been picked over all-rounder Washington Sundar and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan. Kishan’s inclusion came unexpectedly after his standout performances for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Jitesh, on the other hand, played the entire five-match series against the Proteas, scoring 37 runs in two innings. Jaiswal, meanwhile, was part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning side in 2024, but since then, he has failed to break back into the T20I side following the emergence of Abhishek Sharma.

“Why not Jaiswal & Jitesh? I would have them in place of Ishan & Washi. Axar is VC so he’s sure to play and you can’t play Washi ahead of Varun and Kuldeep. Jitesh hasn’t done anything wrong to be dropped and Yashasvi, don’t need any explaining why he shouldn’t be there in first place,” Jaffer Posted on X

Sundar featured in just one match during India’s T20I series triumph over South Africa, appearing in the series-clinching match in Ahmedabad. The all-rounder is now one of four spinners selected in India’s 15-player roster for the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to start on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.

Ishan Kishan, who returned to India from South Africa tour in 2023 citing mental fatigue, missed out on the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy. As a result, he was dropped from the BCCI central contract list before gradually earning his way back into contention.

India’s 15-Man Squad for T20 World Cup 2026 and New Zealand T20Is: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel (vice-capt), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan (wk).

V M Suriya Narayanan is a passionate cricket writer who has been following the game since 2007. With a background in Civil Engineering (B.E.), he blends analytical thinking with a deep understanding of...