Gautam Gambhir is all set to become the next Head Coach of Team India. While the ICC Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship will be his immediate concerns, there will also be an eye on the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Here, we take a look at the list of three players Gautam Gambhir could bring back to the Indian T20I squad.
1) Venkatesh Iyer
You could say that Shivam Dube did not grab all his chances in the 2024 T20 World Cup. While he will get some more chances, Gautam Gambhir will also have an eye on getting more backup options for Hardik Pandya.
Venkatesh Iyer is developing well as a cricketer. His consistency is better these days. With the ball, he can do a decent job. Therefore, Gambhir could consider getting him back to the setup.
2) Varun Chakaravarthy
Varun Chakaravarthy is one of the players Gautam Gambhir could bring back to the Indian T20I squad. Defensive spinners offer great value in the subcontinent. Varun has been doing well in the IPL.
Kuldeep Yadav is more of an attacking spinner while Axar Patel can offer both attack and defence. Adding Varun to this mix would be an interesting idea. He can offer more control in the middle-overs and can help the likes of Kuldeep take more wickets while holding one end.
3) Harshal Patel
The next T20 World Cup is in 2026 and it will happen in India and Sri Lanka. Usually, here, we have flat pitches and Gautam Gambhir might have to develop a squad that will suit these conditions.
Slower ball variations will be of great use in venues with big boundaries. Therefore, a cricketer like Harshal Patel, who has picked two Purple Caps in the last few years, might be in contention. Gambhir has always liked such bowlers and hence, Harshal could be in the fray.
