The Board of Control for Cricket in India is officially making a split-squad model for its T20 International format. BCCI will create two separate Indian T20 teams from a common pool of 30 to 35 elite players. Shreyas Iyer will lead as captain of one of these sides.
The board made the decision to deal with a busy international calendar where major events overlap frequently. The Indian national cricket team must participate in both the Asian Games and a T20I series against the West Indies at the same time. The BCCI aims to prevent player injuries and burnout and maintain competition across all formats by expanding the squad pool.
Why the BCCI is Splitting the T20I Team
India faces a situation later this year where the Asian Games in Japan clash directly with a T20I series against the West Indies. Because one squad cannot be in two places at once, the BCCI requires a larger talent base to field two fully competitive teams. A BCCI official confirmed that they need 30 to 35 cricketers ready to step in for international duty at a moment’s notice.
Furthermore, the board is looking ahead to the return of cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. India needs match-ready players who can perform under pressure and win tournaments. So, this two-team model will allow selectors to give chances to young players without excluding senior players from the team.
Why Shreyas Iyer Replaced Suryakumar Yadav as the New T20I Captain
The 31-year-old captain is chosen for captaincy all thanks to his exceptional form in the ongoing 2026 IPL season with the Punjab Kings. He has scored over 200 runs in just five matches and maintained a strike rate of over 180.
Shreyas Iyer previously led the Delhi Capitals to their first IPL final in 2020. After which, he led Kolkata Knight Riders to a title in 2024. And now, he leads PBKS, who remain unbeaten in the first half of the season, and they stand top in the IPL points table. His recent performance has earned him a leadership role for the national team.
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav is falling behind with his individual batting form. Even though he led India to the T20 World Cup 2026 title, he faces questions over his recent form in the IPL 2026 season. His average run rate has fallen to around 22 runs. Also, his IPL Team, the Mumbai Indians, have lost 4 out of 6 matches. MI stands in 7th place with a NRR of 0.067. Consequently, this has raised concerns about his leadership in the 2028 Olympics.
The 35-Player Pool: Who Is in contention?
The BCCI plans to select this 35-player pool from standout performers from the IPL 2026 season. The pool includes several rising stars. 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could make his debut alongside Priyansh Arya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Shashank Sing and Anukul Roy have proved to be versatile all-rounders and wicketkeepers. Dhruv Jurel is the leading contender for the wicketkeeping role. Ravi Bishnoi is a contender for young pace options in the second team. The BCCI is also scouting Ashok Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, Prasidh Krishna, and Kartik Tyagi.
When Will the Two Teams Start Playing
The BCCI will use the upcoming tour of Ireland as the first testing ground for this new structure. Typically, tours to the United Kingdom and Ireland allow for larger squads, which fits the plan to blood fringe players alongside experienced leaders like Iyer.
Following Ireland, the board will manage two teams simultaneously during the Asian Games and the West Indies series. India is also scheduled to play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in September.
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