"Yahi team World Cup mein hogi" - Former India coach's massive claim ahead of IND vs SA 2025 T20Is

Former India coach Abhishek Nayar made a massive claim on the squad for the T20 World Cup in 2026 ahead of the South Africa T20I series. The Men in Blue named a 15-man squad for the forthcoming five-match series against the Proteas on Wednesday, December 3.

Abhishek Nayar reckoned that India's squad would remain the same for the T20 World Cup unless there were any fitness concerns. He reflected that it was the right approach and the right team.

"Yahi squad hoga. Agar koi change hota hai toh woh fitness ke karan hai warna apko yahi squad nazar ayegi. Yeh acchi soch hai kyunki aap chahte hai ki jo combination barkarar khelti aa rahi hai T20, woh yaha se leke World Cup tak khele. Saath hi saath apko fitness zehen mai rakhna hoga ki yeh team mein se koi bahar jata hai ton unka replacement kon hoga. Usko dimag mai rakhke yeh sahi team hai aur yahi team World Cup mein hogi," he said on JioStar.

("It will be the same squad. If there is any change, it will only be due to fitness issues; otherwise, you will see the same squad. It is good thinking because you want the same combination that has been playing constantly to play from here till the World Cup. Along with this, you have to keep fitness in mind because if someone goes out from this team, then we have to see who will be their replacement. Keeping that in mind, this is the right team, and I feel it will be the same team in the World Cup.")

The 2026 T20 World Cup will begin on February 7 and is set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The Men in Blue are the defending champions, having won the previous edition in 2024.

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Hardik Pandya returns as India names squad for South Africa T20Is

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya returned to the fold as India announced the squad for the South Africa T20Is. The series will begin on Tuesday, December 9, with he first game to be played in Cuttack.

Hardik was out of action following the left quadriceps injury that he picked up during the Asia Cup 2025. Shubman Gill was also included in the squad, subject to his fitness. Surprisingly, Rinku Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy were two notable names who missed out.

India's squad for South Africa T20Is -

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC) (Subject to fitness), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana.