India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, a member of the 2024 T20 World Cup–winning squad, has picked his preferred playing XI for defending champions India ahead of their T20 World Cup 2026 opener against the USA on February 7 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium—and the selection throws up a few surprises.
Most notably, Chahal has left out Ishan Kishan, despite the left-hander’s strong run in the recent five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Instead, Chahal has backed Sanju Samson to open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma, showing faith in Samson despite his modest returns in the lead-up series.
Top order and middle-order call
In a video shared by Star Sports, Chahal placed his trust in Tilak Varma at No. 3 as the youngster returns from injury—a position where Tilak has previously thrived. India captain Suryakumar Yadav slots in at No. 4, followed by a power-packed middle order featuring Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh to handle finishing duties.
Bowling combo leaves Kuldeep out
For the bowling unit, Chahal opted for a balanced mix—two spinners and two quicks. Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy form the spin pair, while Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh lead the pace attack. The combination means Kuldeep Yadav misses out on the XI.
What’s at stake
Drawn in Group A alongside Pakistan, the USA, the Netherlands and Namibia, India are chasing a slice of history—aiming to become the first team to defend a Men’s T20 World Cup, the first to win it on home soil, and the first to lift the trophy three times.
Chahal’s Playing XI
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.
