India’s squad for the five-match T20I series in New Zealand, which begins later this month, was announced recently. The Men in Blue will play five T20Is in New Zealand from October 22 to November 1. The first two T20Is will be played in Christchurch, while the other three matches will be held in Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton, respectively.
Shreyas Iyer has been retained as India’s captain for the five-match T20I series in New Zealand. Significantly, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been recalled, having last represented India in November 2022. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi has been left out of the 16-member side, while all-rounder Washington Sundar, who was earlier withdrawn from the West Indies series, has also not been picked.
A number of players, who were part of India’s T20I team during their tour of New Zealand in 2022, have not been picked for the 2026 tour. In this feature, we look at five such big names.
#1 Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav was the leading run-getter in the three-match T20I series in New Zealand in 2022 (the first T20I was abandoned). In two innings, he scored 124 runs at a strike rate of 203.27. The right-hander smashed an unbeaten 111 off 51 balls in the second T20I in Mount Maunganui, which India won by 65 runs. In the third T20I, he was out for 13 as the rain-hit game ended in a tie [DLS method].
Suryakumar captained India to victory in the 2026 T20 World Cup at home earlier this year. However, he struggled with the bat, scoring 242 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 136.72. He was dropped as player and captain ahead of the Ireland-England tour. A comeback for the former skipper seems highly unlikely.
#2 Rishabh Pant
Wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant had a poor T20I tour of New Zealand in 2022. In two innings, he scored 17 runs at a strike rate of 94.44. The southpaw has not played T20I for the Men in Blue since July 2024.
It would be fair to say that Pant has not grabbed his opportunities in white-ball cricket. In 66 T20I innings, he has scored 1,209 runs at a strike rate of 127.26. With both Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the T20I squad as keeper-batters, Pant might not make a comeback to the format soon.
#3 Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill was part of Team India’s T20I squad for the tour of New Zealand. However, the right-handed batter did not feature in any of the matches. Owing to poor form, Gill was dropped from the Indian team when the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup was picked.
The 27-year-old’s last T20I for India was against South Africa in Dharamsala in December 2025. In 36 matches in the format so far, he has scored 869 runs at an average of 28.03 and a strike rate of 138.59, with one ton and three fifties. While Gill is currently not part of the T20I squad, he captains India in Tests and ODIs.
#4 Yuzvendra Chahal
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was part of India’s T20I squad for the 2022 series in New Zealand. In two innings, he claimed two wickets at an average of 30.50 and an economy rate of 8.71.
Chahal has not played a T20I match for the Men in Blue since August 2023. In 80 matches in the format, he has picked up 96 wickets at an average of 25.09 and an economy rate of 8.19, with one five-fer and two four-fers. Chahal’s last one-day match for India was also in 2023.
#5 Hardik Pandya
Experienced all-rounder Hardik Pandya was the captain of the Indian T20I side in New Zealand in 2022. In two innings, he scored 43 runs at a strike rate of 138.70. He did not bowl in any of the games. Pandya has not been picked for the 2026 T20I series in New Zealand due to an injury to his right shin. He has suffered multiple injuries in the last few months and has been out of action since IPL 2026.
Edited by Renin Wilben Albert