India playing XI Vs USA- T20 World Cup 2026, Match 3- Ishan Kishan replaces Sanju Samson

India probable XI Vs USA [Source: AFP Photo]

The stage is set as hosts India will open their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against the USA, who will certainly start as the underdogs in the opening fixture. India’s first match will take place at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, and the defending champions will be eager to start the tournament with a win.

India were unbeaten in the last T20 World Cup and have continued their streak since then, as the Suryakumar Yadav-led side remains undefeated in this format. However, for the USA fixture, India does have a couple of key decisions to make regarding the playing XI.

Will Sanju Samson play? Will Ishan Kishan replace him at the top? There are plenty of questions, and here is how India is likely to field against the USA in their T20 World Cup opening match.

Top order: Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma

Samson dropped, Kishan at the top

The Indian team selectors removed Shubman Gill from their T20 World Cup squad, as they wanted to give Sanju Samson ample opportunities to secure the opening spot. However, the New Zealand T20Is proved that he is not the man to bat at the top, and is most likely to be dropped to the bench.

In his place, India have an easy replacement in Ishan Kishan. The southpaw was recalled in the T20Is, and he immediately showcased his class by outscoring Samson against the Kiwis.

(Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson stats in NZ T20Is)

• In the recently concluded series, the two batters fighting for the opening spot had contrasting fortunes. While Samson failed to deliver the goods and scored only 46 runs, Kishan grabbed the opportunity with both hands and scored more than 200-runs.
• Kishan scored 215 runs, with a strike rate of 231, and it also included a stellar century in the 5th T20I to cement his place at the top of the order.
• The returning Tilak Varma, who is fit for the T20 World Cup will directly slot in at his favourite number 3 spot, replacing Samson in the lineup.

Middle order: Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube

• With Tilak Varma back, captain Suryakumar Yadav will slot in at number 4 to strengthen India’s middle-order backbone. After Surya, the rest of the batting will be used as floaters, depending upon the situation.
• If India needs to dominate against spinners, they will send in Hardik Pandya at 5, who is perhaps the cleanest striker against spin-bowlers.
• If India needs to dominate against spinners, they will send in Hardik Pandya at 5, who is perhaps the cleanest striker against spin-bowlers. Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, and Shivam Dube will be used as finishers as India bat deep in this T20 World Cup, and have players with different skillsets.

Bowlers: Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh

• The surface at the Wankhede Stadium will assist the pacers, and as a result, India is likely to go in with just a solitary spinner in Varun Chakravarthy. The Tamil Nadu bowler has done well in the format and will be a trouble-maker for the inexperienced USA batters.
• The leader of the pace attack will be Jasprit Bumrah. While the experienced pacer has struggled in recent games, his skillsets and match-winning ability will come in more than handy against the USA side.
• The choice for the second seamer will be between Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. While Harshit has done decently in this format, he might warm the bench, considering Arshdeep is India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is.

(Harshit vs Arshdeep in T20Is)

• Harshit is still inexperienced in this format, and in the nine matches that he has played, the right-arm quick has been a bit expensive. On the other hand, Arshdeep is India’s best bowler in terms of wickets, and the early movement he’ll get at the Wankhede surface will help the Indian side take wickets.

India's probable XI Vs USA

Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh