India opened their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a hard-fought win against the United States of America. Suryakumar Yadav’s under-pressure knock once
again showed why India are among the tournament favourites. As they now prepare to face Namibia, the Men in Blue will be wary of complacency. The Namibians, on the other hand, have repeatedly shown why it cannot be taken lightly.
However, India’s dominance gives them a rare luxury. With a strong squad and a good winning record in the tournament, the team management may consider resting a few players to manage workloads and avoid burnout. The focus would be on keeping their core players fresh and fully fit for the bigger games later in the competition.
Here are 3 India players who may be rested versus Namibia
3. Varun Chakravarthy
Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy picked up just one wicket in India’s opener against the USA, having a rare off day. However, one quiet outing does little to diminish his value, with the spinner remaining India’s X-factor in this competition. Varun’s ability to deceive batters with his bowling makes him a constant threat.
With the tournament still in its early stages, the team management can afford to rest him for a match to manage workload and keep him fresh for the business end. This also opens the door for Kuldeep Yadav, who has been equally brilliant and impactful with the ball, ensuring India’s spin attack remains clinical.
2. Axar Patel
Axar Patel is another player India could consider resting for the Namibia game, keeping long-term fitness in mind. The all-rounder picked up a worrying left index finger injury during the first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur, just weeks before the T20 World Cup. Axar returned for the final T20I of the series in Thiruvananthapuram and bagged a three-wicket haul.
He also featured in the South Africa warm-up fixture and the USA game. However, workload management is crucial to ensure the injury is not aggravated at this stage of the tournament. Resting Axar would also open the door for Washington Sundar, who is returning from a side strain of his own. Sundar’s inclusion allows India to manage Axar’s fitness without compromising balance.
1. Arshdeep Singh
India’s left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has continued his run in the shortest format of the game. With 29 wickets in just 15 matches, he is already among India’s most successful bowlers in the tournament’s history and remains on the cusp of breaking Ravichandran Ashwin’s record.
However, with Jasprit Bumrah set to return after being rested due to illness, the team management could consider giving Arshdeep a breather. In the opener against the USA, Arshdeep picked a two-wicket haul, removing Monank Patel and Mohammad Mohsin.
