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Ishan Kishan or Sanju Samson is probably the biggest selection debate ahead of the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup. Both wicketkeeper-batters are fighting for the opening slot to partner Abhishek Sharma. Although Kishan has likely sealed it but it will only be known when India takes on USA on Saturday in their T20 World Cup opener. Even India captain Suryakumar Yadav didn’t have a direct answer, but he did guarantee his batting position during a press conference ahead of the tournament.
Suryakumar was asked if Kishan’s recent form guarantees him the opening slot in India’s T20 World Cup opener. The India captain revealed that Kishan would not bat below No. 3 and hoped that he would continue his aggressive approach in the tournament.
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“Definitely. The way he’s played cricket in the last five T20s, it was an international game, so he show a lot. But if you look at the domestic cricket he was playing. The Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20. He batted like this in that too. And he came here and carried the same thing,” he said.
“Even though he got an opportunity at number 3, and he opened in the warm-up game yesterday. So I hope he keeps batting like this. Whatever position he plays. He won’t play below 3, but whatever opportunity he gets, he’ll keep batting like this,” he added.
Kishan opened the innings with Abhishek in India’s warm-up game against South Africa, and Samson didn’t even get a chance. He justified the decision with a blazing knock of 53 off 20 balls, laced with two fours and seven sixes, before retiring out.
Samson was in poor form in the New Zealand T20I series, getting only 46 runs in five innings. Meanwhile, Kishan smashed 215 runs in four innings at an average of 53.75 and a strike rate of 231.18. He also got a century in the fifth T20I.
