How much Indian Cricket Team changed since 2016? Where are Dhoni’s star players now? All you need to know
Do you remember the year 2016? It was a special time when India hosted the T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli was in top form and MS Dhoni’s leadership was at its best. That year played a big role in shaping the future of Indian cricket.
Now, ten years later, we are in 2026, and those memories are coming back again. The excitement feels similar, but the team looks very different. In T20 cricket, the responsibility is now with Suryakumar Yadav. But how many players from that famous 2016 squad are still playing today and which big names have already stepped away from the game?
- MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020. He is now seen only in the IPL. Apart from cricket, he is involved in organic farming in Ranchi and often supports the Indian team as an unofficial mentor. - Virat Kohli
After winning the T20 World Cup in 2024, Virat Kohli retired from the T20 format. He also stepped away from Test cricket in 2025 and now plays only ODIs for India. - Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma retired from T20 internationals in 2024. At present, he represents India only in ODIs and has also retired from Test cricket. - Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina
Both players have completely retired from international cricket. They now take part in Legends League Cricket and are also active in commentary and coaching roles. - Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan retired from international cricket in 2024. He is now busy with his business ventures, social media work, and managing roles in sports leagues. - Ashish Nehra
Former fast bowler Ashish Nehra has become a well-known coach. He is currently the head coach of Gujarat Titans in the IPL, where the team has shown strong performances under his guidance. - Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has retired from T20Is and continues to play Tests and ODIs. Ravichandran Ashwin has retired from all formats of cricket and now spends most of his time with his family. - Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh announced his retirement from all formats on December 24, 2021, ending a 23-year career. After retirement, he became a Rajya Sabha MP from the Aam Aadmi Party and is also known for his bold opinions in commentary. - Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah
Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah made their T20I debuts in 2016 and are now key players for India. Bumrah has taken 106 T20I wickets, while Hardik has picked up 105 wickets in the format. - Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey
In 2016, Rahane played all three formats, but he is now out of India’s T20 and ODI teams. However, he remains active in domestic cricket and the IPL. Manish Pandey was once seen as a future star, but limited chances pushed him out of the national team. He now mainly plays domestic cricket. - Mohammed Shami and Pawan Negi
Due to Mohammed Shami’s injury in 2016, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was added as the 16th squad member, though he didn’t play any matches. Bhuvneshwar is currently out of the Indian team but has clearly said he is not planning to retire yet.
Pawan Negi was part of the 2016 T20 World Cup squad but did not get a chance to play. His only international match came in the 2016 Asia Cup against UAE, where he took one wicket. In IPL 2016, Delhi Daredevils (Former Delhi Capitals) bought him for Rs 8.5 crore, but he could not live up to expectations.
India’s Squad for the 2016 T20 World Cup
MS Dhoni (captain/wicketkeeper), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Pawan Negi, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammed Shami, Ashish Nehra.