Overview
- India left the wicketkeeper-batter out of the 15-member T20 World Cup 2026 squad announced by chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar.
- Sharma said there was no prior communication and described the moment as heartbreaking, noting he felt numb when he saw the team list.
- He re-entered the T20I setup in September 2025 and played seven consecutive matches, including the most recent game in Ahmedabad, before the change.
- The panel omitted Sharma and Shubman Gill while recalling Ishan Kishan as a backup opener-wicketkeeper and finisher Rinku Singh.
- Sharma said talks with coaches and selectors led him to agree with their reasoning, and he credited family and RCB coach Dinesh Karthik for helping him cope, with prospects tightened by the opener-keeper preference.