Former Team India captain Kris Srikkanth shared a bold vision ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup match between India and Namibia. Srikkanth said he would promote all-rounder Washington Sundar as opener if Abhishek Sharma is not available even if Sanju Samson is the designated backup.
Abhishek was hospitalized with a stomach infection ahead of the match against Namibia in Delhi on February 12. The left-handed batter played against the USA, but was sent off for a golden duck and did not come on the field. He left a team dinner at head coach Gautam Gambhir’s residence earlier than others.
I will bring Washington Sundar – Kris Srikkanth on Abhishek Sharma’s replacement
Speaking about Cheeky Cheeka, Kris Srikkanth said he would ask Washington Sundar to open the innings for Sanju Samson. He added that this move would help Sundar gain match sharpness and if Abhishek returns for the match against Pakistan, Sundar could drop the order.
“If I was the captain, I would have had a different thought process. Sanju is completely out of form. I will bring in Washington Sundar and open him up. I want him to be fit and play the match against Pakistan,” Srikkanth said.
If Abhishek comes back for the match against Pakistan, I will push Sundar to eight and remove Rinku Singh. My thinking here is out-of-the-box. Samson was given a fair chance and he did nothing. It is just to give Sundar the feeling of a match,” he added.
| Washington Sundar – T20I career stats | ||||||||||||
| Span | Mat | Running | HS | Bat Avg | 100s | Wkt | BBI | Come Gem | 5w | C.T | St | Avg. difference |
| 2017–2025 | 58 | 254 | 50 | 16.93 | 0 | 51 | 03-Mar | 22.76 | 0 | 21 | 0 | -5.83 |
The only good thing is that Sanju Samson gets a chance – Kris Srikkanth
Kris Srikkanth also said that Abhishek Sharma’s absence from the Namibia match would hurt India as the opener needs game time to get his rhythm back ahead of the Pakistan match. Srikkanth added that Sanju Samson should make the most of the opportunity if he gets the chance.
“Playing Abhishek Sharma against Namibia and getting the rhythm back is very important. Momentum in cricket is very important,” said Srikkanth.
“So if he doesn’t play, it will be a very big loss. The only good thing is that Sanju will get a chance. We have to see whether he can capitalize on this opportunity or not. He has to capitalize on this opportunity, there is no other option,” he added.
Abhishek Sharma’s absence could open the door for Sanju Samson
Abhishek Sharma has been India’s best T20I batsman in the last two years. He scored 1297 runs in 39 matches at an average of 36.02 and a strike rate of over 194, including two centuries and eight half-centuries.
If Abhishek misses the match in Delhi, Sanju Samson is expected to open the innings alongside Ishan Kishan. Jasprit Bumrah returned to training on February 10 after missing the US match due to illness, while Washington Sundar also recovered from his side strain and rejoined the squad.
After the Namibia clash in Delhi, India will travel to Sri Lanka to face Pakistan in Colombo on February 15. They will then return home for their final Group A match against the Netherlands on February 18 in Ahmedabad.
India are currently second in Group A and can return to the top of the table with a win over Namibia in the upcoming match.
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