Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill have added 886 runs as a pair in IPL 2026.
India is the defending T20 World Champions, having won the 2024 and 2026 editions of the tournament, and is the only three-time T20 World Champions.
This ongoing IPL 2026 has given India multiple opening solutions in Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as well. Sooryavanshi scored 776 runs, Kishan made 602 runs, Samson made 447 runs, and Abhishek made 563 runs in IPL 2026.
However, Ambati Rayudu, while discussing India’s lineup for the 2028 T20 World Cup, snubbed all of these opening options and has chosen the Gujarat Titans opening duo of Sai Sudharsan (710 runs) and Shubman Gill (722 runs).
Together, they have added 886 runs, making them the most successful starting combination in the 2026 Indian Premier League. They are now only 54 runs away from surpassing Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, who together amassed 939 runs for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2016, as the all-time IPL record for most runs by an opening duo in a season.
Rayudu stated that since the next T20 World Cup in 2028 will be played in Australia and New Zealand, Gill and Sudharsan are better suited to the conditions likely to be on offer there.
“I think we are witnessing a pair that might travel to Australia and tackle the conditions there. The wicket was very similar in pace and bounce. And the ease with which these two are batting… I’ll be surprised if both of them don’t go there.
If conditions suit them, if you take a Gill, you would like to take Sudharsan as well because they both complement each other beautifully. You are seeing it in the partnership; they both know each other’s game very well. It’s a great add-on if you want them to excel in different conditions,” Rayudu stated on ESPNCricinfo.
“I am not saying others are not good… It just might be that they both might be more suitable than the others,” Rayudu explained.
Meanwhile, former Australia cricketer Tom Moody joked that India could simply send two teams to the tournament, and ex-Australia captain Aaron Finch agreed.
“The depth they have is just phenomenal. But again, you are looking at the micro space of IPL; you need to look at the bigger picture. We all get carried away with what happens in IPL. But international cricket is on a different level again. We have seen it dictate selection in all forms of the game, haven’t we? Have a good IPL, and that can get you selected for the Test team,” Moody stated.
Moody explained that although IPL results are helpful in spotting talent, players shouldn't be automatically promoted to the national team.
“That’s my point. You identify the talent. It should not force you to pick that talent then. I think a bigger story needs to be had to qualify for a position,” he said.
Gill and Sudharsan will be in action when GT faces Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 final on May 31 in Ahmedabad.