2025 was an up-and-down year for the Indian men’s cricket team, as they performed well in white-ball cricket but struggled badly in Test matches. The poor results in red-ball cricket have raised concerns within the BCCI that it might take some bold steps that could bring about major changes in Indian cricket.
Team India achieved four wins, five losses and one draw in Test cricket. They performed well by drawing the series 2–2 in England but lost to South Africa in the home series. India won 11 of their 14 ODI matches and won the Champions Trophy in the UAE. They won 15 out of 21 T20I matches in the calendar year.
They achieved series wins against England, Australia and South Africa and also won the Asia Cup. The year 2026 will be busy and challenging. Along with defending their T20 World Cup title, India will also tour England, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
Gautam Gambhir’s future in doubt as BCCI plans major changes in 2026
Under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir, India have had success in white-ball cricket, especially in T20Is, but Test performances have been disappointing. India were defeated by New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa in 2025 at home and also lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia.
India managed to register comfortable wins in the home series against Bangladesh and West Indies. The team, led by Shubman Gill, fought well to earn a 2-2 draw against England in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Gambhir’s condition has come under question due to poor red-ball results. The Board of Control for Cricket in India may consider removing him from the post of red-ball coach, which would lead to split coaching for the first time in Indian cricket.
After T20 World Cup 2026, Suryakumar Yadav will hand over the baton to Shubman Gill.
India’s selectors are already thinking ahead to the 2026 T20 World Cup. Suryakumar Yadav is in the twilight of his career and this tournament is expected to be his final stint as T20I captain as India strategise for the 2028 World Cup.
Former vice-captain Shubman Gill was dropped from the World Cup squad, while there is uncertainty over Hardik Pandya’s leadership role. Gill’s mistakes early on took him out of the captaincy conversation.
However, after positive feedback from the team management and Gautam Gambhir’s intervention, the selectors are reassessing Gill’s role. Regardless of India’s World Cup results, Suryakumar is likely to step down from the captaincy after IPL 2026.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi could become a regular in India’s T20I setup
Indian cricket has received a clear signal that the next generation is ready for the highest level. Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi came into limelight with Rajasthan Royals (RR) during IPL 2025. He got his chance after captain Sanju Samson was out due to injury.
Suryavanshi made an immediate impact, scoring 252 runs in seven matches at an average of 36 and a strike rate of over 206. He scored a brilliant century in 35 balls against Gujarat Titans (GT), which is the second fastest century in IPL history.
Former players have supported his inclusion in India’s T20I setup. With that support increasing, he could make his debut in the bilateral T20I series after the 2026 T20 World Cup. Abhishek Sharma took a similar path after the 2024 T20 World Cup and fans will hope that history repeats itself.
Also read: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in 2026: India’s complete cricket schedule revealed
