“Must give Ajit 10/10 for the team”

Former Indian pacer Harbhajan Singh praised chief selector Ajit Agarkar for making the tough decisions and naming a strong squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The former pacer and the rest of the selectors have named a 15-man squad, devoid of the likes of Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma, who will also feature in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led side features the majority of players who have been part of the T20I setup recently. However, the talking point has been the unprecedented call-ups of Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh amid their recent strong form in the domestic circuit. The left-handed duo were prolific in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) campaign, with the wicketkeeper-batsman finishing as the leading run-scorer and winning captain.

Harbhajan Singh credited Ajit Agarkar for selecting an Indian team full of match-winners in the 2026 T20 World Cup.

“The team is really good. I told Ajit should be given 10/10 for the team. I felt a little bad for Shubman, but he will get more chances soon. All the players are match winners in their own right. I hope we can win two World Cups in a row because we have this team,” Harbhajan Singh told ANI.

The former spinner pointed out how match-winners will bowl for India when it matters under pressure.

“Suryakumar has not run much, but when the World Cup comes, we will need top players to shine. He will shine in that big match. Abhishek (Sharma) can win matches on his own. The form that Hardik (Pandya) has is a key player. We also have Arshdeep (Singh) and (Jasprit) Bumrah in pace,” he added.

Suryakumar Yadav had a dismal 2025, scoring just 218 runs in 19 innings at an average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 123.16. The Commander-in-Chief ended disastrously after a series of bad results at home against South Africa, which increases the pressure on him before the decisive stage.

“He was left out only because of the T20 format and combination” – Harbhajan Singh on Shubman Gill’s omission from India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad

Shubman Gill’s exclusion was a measure the team management had to take after his unconvincing return to form since his return in the 2025 Asia Cup. In 15 innings in 2025, he scored just 291 runs at an average of 24.25 and a strike rate of 137.26.

Harbhajan Singh backed Shubman Gill to be at his best in the longer formats after his failed run in the T20I setting.

“Gill was scheduled to return. I had no doubt that there was any doubt about Shubman’s return. I think Shubman Gill was left out only because of the T20 format and the combination that Team India wanted. Other than that, I had no doubt that he would not be in the ODI or Test team. So, he came back as captain. I hope the team plays well and India will win this series as well,” Harbhajan Singh said.

The ace batsman will return to action during the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled to begin on Sunday, January 11 in Vadodara. This will be the first time that Gill will lead India in white-ball cricket on home soil.