The Indian squad has undergone significant changes for participation in the Hong Kong Sixes 2026 tournament. Krunal Pandya has been appointed as the team captain, while fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been excluded from the squad.
Kulwant Hegrolia has been included in the national team in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Previously, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was set to lead the team in this tournament, but Krunal Pandya has now taken on this responsibility. The arrival of Kulwant Hegrolia has also led to changes in the team's batting lineup.
Despite his exclusion from the squad for the Hong Kong Sixes, Bhuvneshwar Kumar remains part of the national T20 team of India, which is scheduled to play a five-match T20 series against New Zealand starting on October 22. Furthermore, he will participate in the final T20 match against the West Indies, which will take place on Saturday, October 17.
The Indian squad for the Hong Kong Sixes includes Krunal Pandya (captain), Kulwant Hegrolia, Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, and T. Natarajan. Most players in this squad are those who played in the IPL this year. In addition to captain Krunal Pandya, the team includes Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, and Rahul Tripathi. Fast bowlers T. Natarajan and Kulwant Hegrolia are also part of this seven-member squad.
The Hong Kong Sixes tournament is scheduled from October 30 to November 1 and will be held at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground in Hong Kong. Twelve teams will participate. India and Pakistan have been placed in Group C along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Pakistan will start its tournament on October 30 at 8:05 Indian time against the UAE, followed by a match against India at 11:45 Indian time. The Indian team will take the field on October 31 at 8:05 Indian time against the UAE. In the group stage, each team must play a match against two other teams in its group, after which the teams will advance to the Cup, Plate, and Bowl categories depending on the results.