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Krunal Pandya Named India Captain; Bhuvneshwar Kumar Replaced For Hong Kong Sixes

Abhinav Tyagi

Krunal Pandya playing for India - (Source: AFP)Krunal Pandya playing for India - (Source: AFP)

On Saturday, October 17, Team India revised their squad for the upcoming edition of Hong Kong Sixes. Following Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s call-up for the New Zealand tour, the right-arm seamer, who was set to captain the 7-a-side Indian team, has pulled out of the Hong Kong Sixes.

In the latest development, Gujarat Titans star Kulwant Khejroliya has replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The right-arm seamer played a solitary game for the Titans in IPL 2026 and is all set to join the Indian team for the Hong Kong Sixes, which will run for three days from October 30 to November 1.

Notably, the upcoming edition of Hong Kong Sixes will coincide with New Zealand series which starts on October 22, which is why Bhuvneshwar Kumar had to pull out his name from the 6-over tournament.

Krunal Pandya Named Captain

Since Bhuvneshwar Kumar has pulled out of the squad, Krunal Pandya has been roped in as the captain. The RCB star posted a video confirming his appointment and also urged the fans to come support the Indian team in Hong Kong.

Krunal Pandya has never captained the Indian team in international cricket, but he has leadership experience in IPL. Pandya has led 6 matches in IPL, winning 3, losing 2.

India’s Updated Squad For Hong Kong Sixes

India's updated squad: Krunal Pandya (C), Nitish Rana, Shashank Singh, T. Natarajan, Rahul Tripathi, and Rahul Tewatia, Kulwant Khejroliya

Krunal Pandya Looking To Put Behind A Disappointing Hong Kong 2025 Season

In 2025, India named a lacklustre squad with Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik being the two big names. The Men in Blue were embarrassed in the last edition as they suffered defeat against Kuwait and crashed out in the group-stage.

Eventually, Pakistan went onto win the tournament, following which the fans slammed the board and its players. Therefore, to avoid any such scenario in the upcoming edition, the Men in Blue have named a solid side.

Even in the Bowl finals, India finished last and lost to UAE, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, which hurt the team's reputation badly. Talking about the recently named squad, they are all active cricketers set to make Hong Kong sixes debut.