Dilip Vengsarkar criticises selectors for Yashasvi Jaiswal’s omission from the T20 World Cup 2026

Following the recent announcement of India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, there has been widespread discussion about Shubman Gill's exclusion. He was replaced by Ishan Kishan, who earned his place in the World Cup squad with impressive performances in domestic cricket. 

However, one name that was expected to be in the World Cup squad but failed to cut was Yashasvi Jaiswal. He was part of the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2024, and many expected him to become the first-choice opener in the T20 format after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's retirement from T20Is. But this talented left-handed batsman has been dropped from the team despite not making any mistakes, a decision that has drawn criticism from several cricket experts.  Among them is former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar, who criticised the current selection committee and management for Jaiswal's exclusion.

“It is unfortunate that Yashasvi is being left out time and again for no fault of his. He has been in tremendous form across all formats of the game, and I don't know what else he has to do to get into the team. Nobody should leave a match-winner out of the team,” Vengsarkar said.

“You are bound to lose confidence if you are made to feel that you are not required in one format. I mean, it will affect his confidence, and this game is all about confidence. And confidence comes when you have performances backed by runs,” he added.

Yashasvi Jaiswal played his last T20I against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in July 2024. His last five cricket scores in this format are 93, 12, 40, 30, and 10. He also scored runs at an impressive strike rate of 200. Despite his brilliant performance, he was unable to find a place in the T20I team. So far, he has played 23 T20I matches for India, in which he has amassed 723 runs in 22 innings, including a century and 5 half-centuries. 

Former selection committee chairman Dilip Vengsarkar stated that the management has dropped a talented player like Jaiswal, who has done nothing wrong. Being overlooked in the T20I format could affect Jaiswal's confidence. Vengsarkar agreed with the Ajit Agarkar-led committee that dropping Gill was the right decision considering his current form; however, he felt they should have included Jaiswal in the 15-member squad.

In place of Gill, the selectors have included Ishan Kishan as a backup opener and wicketkeeper in the team. When India's Test and ODI captain was dropped from the team, Rinku Singh made a comeback to the T20 squad, and, likely, he will now be seen in the finisher's role in the T20 World Cup 2026. 

“They are all excellent players, but I am with the selection committee when they judge players based on current form and fitness. Current form does play an important role in the context of selection. And if you ask whom I would have picked instead of Gill, my choice would have been Jaiswal. He has proven time and again what a class performer he is and has always given the team the kind of starts required these days,” said Vengsarkar.

Vengsarkar described Jaiswal as a brilliant talent and said that he should have been given more opportunities. When asked if he would have included Jaiswal in the World Cup squad if he were the chairman of selectors, Vengsarkar said, "I wouldn't say anything to him because I wouldn't have dropped him from the team in the first place."