Sanju Samson dropped as India’s playing XI for T20 World Cup 2026 announced by BCCI selector

Former India captain and selector Kris Srikkanth has revealed his preferred playing XI for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, following the recently concluded T20I series against New Zealand. The selection has raised eyebrows, with Srikkanth leaving out Sanju Samson as well as star spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

India made a key change in the fifth T20I against New Zealand on Saturday, January 31. Ishan Kishan kept wickets ahead of Samson, who had been India’s first-choice wicketkeeper throughout the series. The decision sparked debate, with many calling it a possible hint about India’s plans for the World Cup.

Kris Srikkanth Picks His India Playing XI for T20 World Cup 2026

India wrapped up the T20I series against New Zealand with a dominant 4-1 win, strengthening their status as strong contenders for the main tournament. Following the series, Kris Srikkanth picked his preferred XI based on current form and balance.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

He backed Ishan Kishan ahead of Sanju Samson to open with Abhishek Sharma. The former selector picked the Mumbai Indians batters Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya from No. 3 to No. 5. Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Axar Patel completed the top eight.

Srikkanth chose Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Jasprit Bumrah for the bowling unit. He left out Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Samson from the XI.

India will compete in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA. Their opening match is scheduled against the USA in Mumbai on February 7.

Kris Srikkanth's playing XI for the 2026 T20 World Cup:

Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy

They've Given Him A Very Long Rope - Kris Srikkanth on Sanju Samson

Kris Srikkanth said that Sanju Samson should not be part of India’s playing XI for the 2026 T20 World Cup. He stated that Samson has received enough chances to regain form but has failed to deliver. Srikkanth added that Ishan Kishan has been playing match-winning knocks.

“It started when Archer kept bouncing him out last year. Nobody will get so many opportunities like this. They’ve given him a very long rope. Yes, they played around with his position a bit during the Asia Cup," Srikkanth said in a video on his YouTube channel.

“You have not scored at all and failed in 10 innings, opening the batting, and Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, is producing match-winning knocks where he puts the team in a different zone altogether. There is no comparison right now between the two."

Ishan Kishan Likely to Seal Opening Spot Ahead of Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson returned to open the batting after Shubman Gill’s exclusion. He was backed throughout the series but failed to make an impact. The Kerala batter scored only 46 runs from five matches at an average of 9.20 and a strike rate of 135.29.

Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, made full use of his opportunity. He batted at No. 3 in Tilak Varma’s absence. The southpaw smashed 215 runs in four games at an average of 53.75 and a strike rate of 231.18, including a fifty and a century.

Before the series, Kishan had not played a T20I for India since 2023. He earned his recall after impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26. With Tilak Varma likely to return, Kishan is expected to open the innings with Abhishek Sharma.

Also read: Shubman Gill breaks silence on Ishan Kishan snatching his T20I spot