Former India captain and selector Kris Srikkanth has revealed his preferred playing XI for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 after the recently concluded T20 series against New Zealand. Questions have been raised on the selection, in which Srikanth has left out Sanju Samson as well as star spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
India made one significant change in the fifth T20I against New Zealand on Saturday, January 31. Ishan Kishan kept wickets ahead of Samson, who was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper throughout the series. The decision sparked debate, with many citing it as a possible hint about India’s plans for the World Cup.
Kris Srikkanth chooses his Indian playing XI for T20 World Cup 2026
India finished the T20I series against New Zealand with an impressive 4-1 win, cementing their position as strong contenders for the main tournament. After the series, Kris Srikkanth chose his preferred XI based on current form and balance.
He favored Ishan Kishan ahead of Sanju Samson to open with Abhishek Sharma. The former selector picked Mumbai Indians batsmen Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya from No. 3 to No. 5. Rinku Singh, Shivam Dubey and Akshar Patel made it to the top eight.
Srikkanth chose Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah for the bowling unit. He dropped Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Samson from the eleven.
India will compete in Group A along with Pakistan, Namibia, Netherlands and USA. Their opening match is scheduled to be against USA on 7th February in Mumbai.
Kris Srikkanth’s playing XI for 2026 T20 World Cup:
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakraborty.
They have given him a very long rope – Chris Srikkanth on Sanju Samson
Chris Srikkanth said that Sanju Samson should not be a part of India’s playing eleven for the 2026 T20 World Cup. He said that Samson has got enough chances to regain form but he has failed to perform. Srikanth said that Ishan Kishan is playing match-winning innings.
“It started when Archer bowled him continuously last year. Nobody will get so many chances. They have given him a very long rope. Yes, they played with his position a bit during the Asia Cup,” Srikkanth said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“You have not scored runs at all and failed while opening in 10 innings, and on the other hand, Ishan Kishan is playing match-winning innings, where he puts the team in a completely different zone. There is no comparison between the two right now.”
Ishan Kishan is likely to confirm the opening spot ahead of Sanju Samson.
Sanju Samson returned to bat after Shubman Gill was out. He was supported throughout the series but failed to make an impact. The Kerala batsman scored only 46 runs in five matches at an average of 9.20 and a strike rate of 135.29.
On the other hand, Ishan Kishan took full advantage of the opportunity. He batted at number 3 in the absence of Tilak Verma. The left-handed batsman scored 215 runs in four matches at an average of 53.75 and a strike rate of 231.18, which included one half-century and one century.
Before the series, Kishan had not played any T20I for India since 2023. He was recalled after impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26. With Tilak Verma likely to return, Kishan is expected to open the innings along with Abhishek Sharma.
Also read: Shubman Gill breaks silence on Ishan Kishan snatching place in T20I!