Krunal Pandya to captain India at Hong Kong Sixes 2026

Krunal Pandya has been named captain of the Indian squad for the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, replacing Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Kumar withdrew from the tournament following a call-up to the national T20I team for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, marking his return to the international setup after four years. Kulwant Khejroliya will join the seven-member squad to replace Kumar.

The Indian squad for the tournament, scheduled from October 30 to November 1, includes Krunal Pandya, Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, T. Natarajan, and Kulwant Khejroliya.

Separately, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar commented on the team's composition following a T20 series against the West Indies. Gavaskar advised management against searching for a direct replacement for Hardik Pandya, suggesting instead that the team should focus on utilizing versatile players like Naman Dheer and Axar Patel who can contribute in multiple roles.