T20 World Cup 2026: Former star questions inclusion of Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar in India squad

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has raised concerns over the Indian selectors’ choices for the upcoming T20 World Cup squad, particularly questioning the omission of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jitesh Sharma. Sharing his views on X, Jaffer said he was puzzled by the decision to include Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan instead, arguing that Jaiswal and Jitesh were more deserving of spots in the final 15.

Jaffer pointed out that Jitesh had featured throughout the recent five-match T20I series against South Africa and had not done anything significant to warrant being dropped. Despite limited opportunities with the bat, the wicketkeeper-batter had been part of the team’s plans during the series. Jaiswal, meanwhile, was a member of India’s victorious T20 World Cup squad in 2024 but has struggled to reclaim his place in the shortest format following the rise of Abhishek Sharma.

In his post, Jaffer stated that he would have preferred Jaiswal and Jitesh over Kishan and Sundar, adding that Axar Patel’s role as vice-captain almost guarantees his place in the playing XI. He further noted that Sundar would not realistically be picked ahead of specialist spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, making his selection questionable in a spin-heavy squad.

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Washington Sundar featured in only one game during India’s recent T20I series win against South Africa, playing in the decisive match in Ahmedabad. Despite his limited involvement, he has been named among four spinners in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7 and will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Ishan Kishan’s selection has also attracted attention, as it comes after a challenging period in his career. The wicketkeeper-batter had withdrawn from the South Africa tour in 2023 citing mental fatigue and subsequently missed the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy season. These absences led to his exclusion from the BCCI’s central contracts list, though strong domestic performances, including a notable showing for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, helped him work his way back into the national reckoning.