As India prepares to begin their title defence in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has revealed his preferred playing XI for the opening Group A clash against the USA, set
to be played on February 07. The headlining decision from Chahal’s selection is the omission of Ishan Kishan, despite the wicketkeeper-batter coming on the back of a sensational series against New Zealand.
India will face the USA on Saturday at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, as they kick off their campaign in Group A. In a video shared by Star Sports on X, Chahal backed Sanju Samson to open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma, a decision that grabbed attention given Samson’s poor performance in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Samson managed just 46 runs across the series, yet Chahal placed faith in his former Rajasthan Royals captain.
.@yuzi_chahal picks his playing XI for India’s opening fixture! 👀 💪🏻
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 3, 2026
Just 4 days to go before the defending champions begin their journey on T20 cricket’s biggest stage with one clear mission: 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗧 & 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧 history 🔥🤩
ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup 2026 👉 #INDvUSA |… pic.twitter.com/X9KsBx2CjQ
Tilak Varma, returning from injury, was slotted at number three, a role where the left-hander has previously excelled. His comeback is a major boost for the hosts, especially after missing the New Zealand series. Suryakumar Yadav, who will lead the team, is set to bat at number four, followed by Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh, forming a strong middle order.
Meanwhile, Kishan’s exclusion was striking as the left-hander was India’s best batter against New Zealand, scoring 215 runs in four innings at an average of 53.75 and a strike-rate of over 230. His performances included a maiden T20I century, smashed in just 42 balls in the final match of the series. Despite this red-hot form, Chahal left Kishan out, opting instead for Samson as the designated wicketkeeper.
On the bowling front, Chahal picked an attack with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh leading the pace department, while Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy were chosen as the spin options. This combination meant no place for Kuldeep Yadav, who has featured merely in T20Is since the 2025 Asia Cup final.
Yuzvendra Chahal's India Playing XI vs USA:
Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
