Shahbaz Ahmed has been drafted into the India T20I squad, but the call-up feels hard to justify when a red-hot KKR squad option like Anukul Roy is producing exactly the kind of T20 numbers selectors usually reward.
Axar Patel being ruled out of the last two T20Is against South Africa opened up a like-for-like allrounder slot. Shahbaz Ahmed was named as the replacement for the last two IND vs SA T20Is, despite having last featured for India back in October 2023 at the Asian Games, and despite modest returns in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) for Bengal: 60 runs in five games at a strike rate of 133.33, plus four wickets at an economy of 8.25.
Updated India T20I squad for final two T20Is of IND vs SA series: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed
Shahbaz Ahmed selection: a red-ball CV driving a T20I call?
Shahbaz Ahmed has been impressive in longer formats recently, and that appears to be the core logic behind his recall. In the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season, Shahbaz Ahmed has scored 300 runs at an average of 60, including a century and two fifties, while also taking 22 wickets in four matches, highlighted by a haul of 7/56.
He was also a standout performer in the 2024 SMAT season, making 237 runs at an average of 79 with a strike rate above 175, and adding seven wickets at an economy of 7.6. That body of work explains why Shahbaz Ahmed remains on the selectors’ radar.
However, Shahbaz Ahmed’s recent T20 numbers this season do not support a T20I recall. In the ongoing SMAT, his impact has been limited, and when a T20 World Cup is just months away, recent form in the format usually carries greater weight than red-ball performances.
KKR squad argument: why Anukul Roy’s numbers demand attention
The KKR squad continues to have players who slip under the radar due to limited IPL opportunities. Anukul Roy is a clear example. If the idea is to reward current T20 output, the KKR squad has a compelling case here. He may not have played much in IPL 2025, but the KKR auction strategy for 2026 could involve Anukul playing a bigger role in the upcoming season.
In the ongoing SMAT, Anukul Roy has scored 260 runs in eight innings for Jharkhand, averaging 65 while striking at nearly 160. With the ball, he has taken 14 wickets at an economy rate of 6.98, along with seven catches in the field. That is impact across all three disciplines.
Anukul Roy’s numbers outside T20s also strengthen the KKR squad argument. In first-class cricket this season, he has taken 21 wickets in five games at an average of 23.14, and he claimed 13 wickets in seven matches in the previous Vijay Hazare Trophy. The point here is not franchise loyalty, but performance-based selection, especially in T20 cricket.
Shahbaz Ahmed vs the rest
If selectors were looking for an IPL-proven, defensive left-arm spinner, Krunal Pandya was an obvious option. Krunal took 17 wickets in 15 matches for RCB in IPL 2025, played a decisive role in the final, and has a well-established reputation for control in the middle overs.
If the requirement was for a more attacking spin option with batting upside, Vipraj Nigam was another alternative. He took 11 wickets in 14 IPL 2025 matches and offers power-hitting ability down the order.
Instead, Shahbaz Ahmed has been preferred despite limited IPL involvement in 2025 and underwhelming SMAT numbers this season. The selection feels driven more by broader reputation and red-ball form rather than current T20-specific output.
What the Shahbaz Ahmed call-up for IND vs SA T20Is tells us
Shahbaz Ahmed is a capable allrounder and his domestic red-ball performances merit recognition. But T20Is demand recent, format-specific evidence. When a KKR squad player like Anukul Roy is delivering runs at pace, taking wickets economically, and contributing heavily in the field, overlooking him raises legitimate questions about selection consistency.
Shahbaz Ahmed may still play a role depending on conditions, but based on available data, the bigger issue is that a high-performing KKR squad talent has been sidelined despite numbers that strongly align with India’s T20 needs.
