The first T20I between India and South Africa will be played in Cuttack on December 9.
India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has spoken on the issue of the opening combination, with Shubman Gill being cleared for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, with Sanju Samson in line for the role as well.
The Indian team will have 10 T20I matches—5 against South Africa and 5 against New Zealand—before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 begins next year, and the Men in Blue are trying to finalize the playing combination that works the best for them.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav told the media on Monday, ahead of the series opener against the Proteas, that the management is not in the mood to make many changes to the playing combinations.
With Shubman Gill back after a brief injury absence, the starting lineup looks set. He is probably going to partner his childhood friend Abhishek Sharma at the top, with the skipper positioned at number three.
Additionally, the batting order is anticipated to stay the same since Suryakumar has confirmed that no significant alterations are planned.
“We don’t want to change too much in terms of combinations. The focus is simply on the type of cricket we want to play; apart from that, there’s nothing major we want to alter," Suryakumar said at the pre-match press conference.
Suryakumar also spoke about Sanju Samson’s batting position in the Indian XI, given that he had opened for India last year and formed a threatening opening combo with Abhishek Sharma. But since Shubman Gill has returned to the T20I side and been named vice-captain, Sanju has been shifted to the no. 5 position.
“Sanju is a batter who can play higher up the order. He has done well as an opener. Shubman played ahead of Sanju because he deserved that spot, but we still ensured Sanju got opportunities. Apart from the openers, everyone else needs to be flexible. They must adapt. Both of them are very much in our plans—both can perform multiple roles. It’s an asset for the team and a good headache to have," Suryakumar Yadav said.
Suryakumar said the immediate focus is on the bilateral fixtures against South Africa and New Zealand.
“We have to play 10 T20 games against two quality oppositions before the World Cup, so the immediate focus is on those matches. As we get closer to the tournament, we’ll gradually shift our focus fully to the T20 World Cup," he said.
The first T20I of the five-match series against South Africa will be played on December 9 in Cuttack.
(PTI inputs)