The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League is going to be a significant milestone for many Indian cricketers who want to return to the national team. The IPL is scheduled to start from the 28th of March and promises to bring more thrilling matches of cricket to the fans.

 

India has recorded a historic achievement by winning the title of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The team recorded their third title in the T20 World Cup, which helped the team become the most successful team throughout the history of the tournament.

 

India won the World Cup, but the team has some of the best players waiting to get their chance. The selection process of the World Cup squad omitted many of the famous players due to the high competition from the other players. IPL 2026 is going to be a golden opportunity for the players to showcase their skills and regain their positions in the T20I squad.

 

5 players who could fight for a return to the Indian T20I side with a strong IPL season

 

Shubman Gill

 

The Indian T20I plans for Shubman Gill existed before the T20 World Cup. However, his poor performance resulted in the selectors removing him from the team.

 

The stylish opener has been one of the most consistent batters in the IPL over the last few seasons. Gill has scored over 1,900 runs in the previous three league seasons while playing for the Gujarat Titans.

 

He scored 650 runs with an average of 50 and strike rate of 156 during the last season. If he achieves similar results in IPL 2026, he will become a candidate for the selectors' consideration once more.

 

Yashasvi Jaiswal

 

Yashasvi Jaiswal will utilize IPL 2026 to consolidate his place in the national team.

 

He has featured in 23 T20I games for India. The young batsman has already scored a century and five half-centuries. The process of being selected is a bit challenging because the team has many talented players in its lineup to play in the first ten positions. The players are displaying exceptional skills in their game.

 

Jaiswal plays for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL. This season, he will take up an important role in the team. The batsman scored 559 runs in the previous season with an average of 43 and strike rate of 160. He needs to deliver an impressive performance to get closer to being a permanent part of the Indian team.

 

Riyan Parag

 

Riyan Parag will play a major role in the upcoming IPL 2026 since he has been chosen to be the full-time captain of the Rajasthan Royals team.

 

Young all-rounder Parag has played nine T20I matches for India, but he has not been able to become a permanent part of the team. However, he may achieve this goal with an excellent IPL 2026.

 

Young Parag has had an incredible IPL 2024 season with 573 runs at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 149. To become part of the team again, he will have to play exceptionally well since he managed to score 393 runs in the last IPL.

 

Rishabh Pant

 

Young Rishabh Pant has already proven his capabilities to play for the Indian team, but he has not performed well in the shortest format in recent matches.

 

Pant has already been part of the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning team, but he has not been part of the T20 team since then.

 

Pant has not performed well in his last IPL season since he has been the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants team. In his last season, he managed to score 269 runs with a 24.45 batting average and 133 strike rate.

 

Rajat Patidar

 

Rajat Patidar will look to make a big impact this season in IPL 2026.

 

The middle-order batsman recently guided his side, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to their maiden IPL trophy. Although he has had a successful IPL career, Patidar has only represented India in one ODI and has yet to make his T20I debut for the side.

 

Patidar recorded a strike rate of 177 by accumulating 395 runs for his side in IPL 2024. However, he could only score 313 runs for his side in the previous season. He needs to put up a big show this season to find a spot for himself in the Indian white-ribbon side.

 

IPL performances could influence selection

 

Indian team selection has been based on IPL performances since its inception. Many players have been invited to the Indian team due to their exceptional performances in the tournament.

 

As IPL 2026 draws near, Gill, Jaiswal, Parag, Pant, and Rajat Patidar will understand that their performances will determine their chances to play for the Indian team again in T20 cricket.