Hong Kong: Krunal Pandya will captain India at the Hong Kong Sixes 2026 after Bhuvneshwar Kumar received a call-up to the national team for the upcoming New Zealand tour. Kulwant Khejroliya has been named as Bhuvneshwar’s replacement in the seven-member squad.
The tournament will be held from October 30 to November 1. India’s squad also includes Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi and T. Natarajan.
Krunal Pandya to Lead Seven-Member Squad
Krunal will take charge of an Indian side featuring several players with IPL experience. The six-a-side format will give the team a chance to use its batting depth and all-round options.
Khejroliya, a Gujarat Titans pacer, comes into the squad in place of Bhuvneshwar, whose international commitments have ruled him out of the tournament.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Returns to India Setup
Bhuvneshwar’s recall comes after nearly four years away from the national side. He has been named in India’s squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which begins on October 22. The team announced by the BCCI earlier this month is led by Shreyas Iyer.
Bhuvneshwar was also added to India’s squad for the fifth and final T20I against the West Indies on Saturday after Arshdeep Singh suffered a blow during the fourth match in Hyderabad.
Cricket Hong Kong Reacts to Bhuvneshwar’s Absence
Anuraag Bhatnagar, Director of Commercial and Marketing at Cricket Hong Kong, China, said the organisers would miss Bhuvneshwar at the tournament but were pleased to see him earn a national call-up.
“While we will certainly miss Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, we are delighted to see him earn a call-up to the national team. His return to international cricket after four years is a special milestone, and we wish him every success on India’s tour of New Zealand. We look forward to welcoming him back to the Hong Kong Sixes in the future,” Bhatnagar said.
India Squad for Hong Kong Sixes 2026
Krunal Pandya (captain), Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, T. Natarajan and Kulwant Khejroliya.