India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has picked his playing XI for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side for their T20 World Cup 2026 opener clash against the USA, which is scheduled to take place on February 7 at iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Chahal, who was a part of India's 2024 T20 World Cup winning squad, leaves Ishan Kishan, who recently flexed his lethal form in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
In a video shared by Star Sports on X, Yuzvendra Chahal showed his support for former Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson, backing him to open the batting alongside Abhishek Sharma despite his poor outings against New Zealand, where he managed to score 46 runs in the five-match T20I series
India's batting order for T20 World Cup 2026
Chahal also placed his trust in Tilak Varma, who is set to return from injury and bat at number three. The left-hander has enjoyed a lot of success in that position in the past.
India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav was named at number four, while Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh were picked to handle the middle order and finishing duties.
India's bowling for T20 World Cup 2026 opener clash
For the bowling attack, Chahal went with a balanced combination of two spinners and two fast bowlers. Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy were selected as the spin options, while Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh were chosen to lead the pace attack. This combination meant there was no place in the playing XI for Kuldeep Yadav, who has featured in only five T20I matches since the 2025 Asia Cup final.
Defending champions India have been drawn in Group A along with Pakistan, the USA, the Netherlands and Namibia. The Men in Blue will be aiming to create history by becoming the first team to defend a Men’s T20 World Cup title, the first to win the tournament on home soil, and the first side to lift the trophy three times.
Chahal's playing XI
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.