Sanju Samson Omitted from India's Starting Lineup for T20 World Cup Opener
In a significant team selection decision, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was left out of India's playing XI for their opening match of the T20 World Cup 2026 against the United States of America. The match took place at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, with India captain Suryakumar Yadav confirming the changes at the toss ceremony.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav Announces Team Changes
At the toss, which was won by USA skipper Monank Patel who elected to bowl first, Suryakumar Yadav revealed that Ishan Kishan would replace Samson at the top of the order. Kishan opened the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma, while Tilak Varma was included in the middle order to bolster India's batting lineup.
"We have Washi (Washington Sundar) missing out, Sanju (Samson) missing out. Unfortunately, Bumrah is not well so Siraj is playing," stated Suryakumar Yadav during the toss announcement. The captain expressed confidence in the playing conditions, adding, "We were looking to bat first. Wicket looks good, there is wind around so we don't expect dew. It's alive even before the game starts and I am sure it is going to be even better."
Performance Factors Behind Selection Decisions
The exclusion of Sanju Samson comes despite him opening the batting in India's last five T20 International matches during the recent series against New Zealand. However, Samson failed to capitalize on these opportunities, posting modest scores throughout the series. His case was further weakened when he did not bat in India's only warm-up match before the T20 World Cup tournament.
In contrast, Ishan Kishan presented a compelling argument for inclusion through his recent performances. Batting at number three during the New Zealand series, Kishan registered impressive scores including a half-century and a century. He further strengthened his selection credentials during the warm-up game against South Africa, where he opened the innings and scored a rapid 53 runs off just 20 deliveries while also keeping wickets in that match.
Additional Team Changes and Playing XIs
Apart from Samson's omission, India's playing XI saw several other notable changes:
- Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to illness, with Mohammed Siraj taking his place in the bowling attack
- Washington Sundar did not make the final team selection
- Kuldeep Yadav was also excluded from the playing XI
The complete team lineups for the match were:
India: Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy.
United States of America: Saiteja Mukkamalla, Andries Gous (wicketkeeper), Monank Patel (captain), Milind Kumar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Harmeet Singh, Shubham Ranjane, Mohammad Mohsin, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan.
The selection decisions reflect India's strategic approach to their T20 World Cup campaign, prioritizing current form and specific match conditions over established player reputations. With the tournament now underway, all eyes will be on how these team selections impact India's performance in their quest for T20 World Cup glory.
