India’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign began amid multiple injury and fitness concerns, but as the tournament progresses, key players appear to be recovering.
While Bumrah missed India’s first match against the USA, captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed after the game that Abhishek Sharma played despite having a high fever, which was one of the reasons he did not take the field.
Who will be India’s openers vs Namibia?
Based on India’s practice sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, it appears Sanju Samson will partner Ishan Kishan at the top of the order.
Samson did not look in good touch during Tuesday’s session as he was beaten repeatedly by Hardik Pandya. He managed only one big hit during the open net session. Later, he was seen getting a massage on his right arm before taking throwdowns from batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.
However, on the eve of India’s match against Namibia, Samson looked like a different player, striking the ball cleanly and hitting several big shots.
He began the net session alongside Kishan. The two alternated strike as they faced a mix of India internationals and net bowlers.
On one occasion, Samson hit Bumrah for a big shot towards the mid-wicket region, suggesting the Kerala batter is back in rhythm.
The match against Namibia could provide Samson an opportunity to regain form, especially after failing to play any significant innings heading into the World Cup.
Tilak and Surya to follow India openers
After the openers, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav batted in pairs, following a similar pattern.
In the pre-match press conference, Tilak said he is prepared to bat at any position in the line-up during the T20 World Cup, but underlined that the middle overs are crucial and require a settled batter to hold the innings together.
Responding to a question on whether India’s batting positions after the openers could remain flexible, Tilak said he is open to adapting to whatever role the team demands.
“As I said, I am always ready to bat at any position. But I feel the middle overs are very important and you need a settled batter there,” Tilak said.
The left-hander pointed out that with India’s batting depth extending till number eight, the team does not lack power-hitters. However, he said it becomes essential for one or two batters to play the anchor’s role in the middle phase.
“We don’t have a shortage of power-hitters — everyone can hit till number eight. So it becomes important that someone anchors in the middle,” he said.
Tilak added that he enjoys taking the game deep, particularly in run chases, and is willing to absorb pressure to allow others to play freely around him.
“One or two batters have to play that role. I take that pressure on myself and the others can attack,” he said.
The 22-year-old also stressed the importance of reacting to match situations, noting that conditions can vary significantly from game to game.
“Every wicket is different, the atmosphere is different, the bowler is different. Even against the same team, every day is different. So I stay in the present and react. I don’t think too much about the future,” Tilak said.
(More to follow)
