India have named a seven-man squad for the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar as captain. The tournament runs from October 30 to November 1 at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground. India open against defending champions Pakistan on day one.
Cricket Hong Kong announced the squad on October 5. India are in Pool C with Pakistan and the UAE.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar (c) | Right-arm swing bowler |
| Krunal Pandya | Left-handed all-rounder, spin |
| Shashank Singh | Middle-order finisher |
| Rahul Tewatia | All-rounder, leg-spin and power-hitting |
| Nitish Rana | Left-handed batter, off-spin |
| Rahul Tripathi | Top-order batter |
| T Natarajan | Left-arm fast bowler, yorker specialist |
“STACKED! Maximum format. Maximum firepower. Team India is locked, loaded, and ready to take over the Hong Kong Sixes!”
Cricket Hong Kong, China, official X post, October 5, 2026
STACKED! 🔥
Maximum format. Maximum firepower. Team India is locked, loaded, and ready to take over the Hong Kong Sixes! 🇮🇳💥
#TurnItUpToSix #HongKongSixes https://t.co/aNSKqkDfd1
— Cricket Hong Kong, China (@CricketHK) October 5, 2026
This squad breaks from the last two editions. Robin Uthappa led a veteran side in 2024, and Dinesh Karthik did the same in 2025. Both teams went out in the group stage, and India lost nine of their 10 matches across those two tournaments.
The 2026 group is current. It is built mostly on IPL 2026 players, and everyone except Shashank Singh has played for India’s senior team. Krunal Pandya and Rahul Tewatia give India two spin options who can also clear the rope.
India name a strong squad for the upcoming Hong Kong Sixes, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the helm🇮🇳
#BhuvneshwarKumar #HongKongSixes #TeamIndia https://t.co/olNuA5jG6E
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) October 5, 2026
Bhuvneshwar’s numbers say he can still bowl when it matters most. What this format asks of him is different: a game where swing barely has time to show up.
Bhuvneshwar, 36, takes over from Karthik. He took 28 wickets in IPL 2026 at an economy of 7.95, including key wickets in the final as Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the title.
He has played 229 international matches: 21 Tests, 121 ODIs and 87 T20Is. The captaincy adds to the talk around his India comeback.
Insider Read
In a six-over game, Bhuvneshwar bowls one over, two at most. That is six to 12 balls with a shining new ball. A new ball needs time before a bowler can really work it, and in this format batters are swinging from the first delivery. By the time the ball talks, his spell is over.
Chasing swing is also a trap here. A wide costs two runs, so the full, wide outswinger that beats the bat in a Test becomes an expensive gamble. His real weapons are the ones that carried his IPL 2026 season: the slower ball, the wide yorker, and pace taken off at the right moment. Hong Kong will show whether that version of Bhuvneshwar works in a game with no margin at all.
India’s Hong Kong Sixes 2026 Schedule and Format
| Date | Match | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|
| October 30 | India vs Pakistan | 11:45 AM |
| October 31 | India vs UAE | 8:05 AM |
| November 1 | Cup, Plate and Bowl finals | TBC |
Each team fields six players and bats for six overs. Most bowlers bowl one over, and one named bowler, not the wicketkeeper, can bowl two. Wides and no-balls count as two runs.
Pool winners go to the Cup semi-finals. Second place goes to the Plate and third place to the Bowl. Pakistan are chasing a seventh title, while India’s only win came in 2005.
Sony Sports Network will broadcast the tournament in India.
“It’s a tournament with a 34-year legacy and a special place in the hearts of Indian cricket fans.”
Divyanshu Singh, JSW Sports CEO, tournament announcement, October 3, 2026
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