T20 World Cup 2026: What should be India’s opening combination?

India enter the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 as one of the firm favourites, aiming to defend the title they won in 2024 after defeating South Africa in a thrilling final. With the tournament set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka and featuring 20 teams, expectations around the Men in Blue are understandably high.

Individually, India appear well settled in most departments. In batting, Abhishek Sharma has emerged as a destructive opener, captain Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma continue to be the backbone of the middle order, while Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh add firepower in the finishing phase. The bowling unit also looks formidable, with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh leading a strong pace attack, supported by spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.

In the all-rounders department, Hardik, Axar Patel, and Shivam Dube are all in decent form, providing balance to the side. Several players have also recently recovered from injuries and will be keen to remain fit throughout the tournament. However, despite all these positives, one major concern continues to surround the Indian setup, the opening combination.

What should be India’s opening combination for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026?

Abhishek Sharma is a certainty at the top. The left-hander is in sublime form and has consistently put opposition bowlers under pressure from the very first over. His fearless approach, striking at close to 200, makes him equally dangerous against both pace and spin. His role is clear by providing explosive starts and setting the tone for the innings.

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The bigger question lies with his Sanju Samson, who is expected to open alongside Abhishek, but consistency remains a concern. While Samson often provides a brisk start, he has struggled to convert it into a substantial innings, frequently getting out just as he looks set. India experimented with Shubman Gill during the Asia Cup 2025, but the combination failed to click, even though the team went on to win the tournament.

Ishan Kishan remains another option. A natural opener and wicketkeeper, Kishan would be a like-for-like replacement for Samson if required. On paper, the pairing of Kishan and Abhishek looks explosive, but both batters prefer attacking throughout the innings, which could lead to a lack of stability at the top. Furthermore, given that both Abhishek and Kishan are left-handed batters, it will likely give the opponents a match-up advantage against India.

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Considering all factors, India should persist with Abhishek and Samson as their primary opening pair. By giving them time and backing them through the tournament could help build momentum and clarity which will be crucial for a title-defending side in a high-pressure World Cup campaign.