Will Sanju Samson play in India's T20 World Cup Opener against USA?

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India are playing South Africa in their solitary T20 World Cup opener on Wednesday at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

And the early indications are suggesting a clear pattern of the team India management, as the Indian team are batting first.

Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma came out to open the batting for them, and since then, the lineups show - Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel and Rinku Singh. Sanju Samson, who was tipped to be India's first-choice wicketkeeper for the tournament, hasn't had a hit so far.

Will Sanju Samson play for India in T20 World Cup Opener?

However, recent events have shifted the narrative dramatically. Samson's form dipped sharply in the lead-up series against New Zealand, where he managed only 46 runs across five matches at a poor average of 9.20. This slump opened the door for in-form Ishan Kishan, who impressed with a T20I century and showed versatility by keeping wickets in key games.

Reports suggest Samson may not even feature in the playing XI for the USA clash, with Kishan's form and Tilak Varma's return at No. 3 crowding the lineup. Experts like Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth have advocated dropping Samson, citing his prolonged lean patch despite earlier faith from selectors.

Ishan Kishan to Open for India?

Ishan Kishan came in to the Indian team after his solid form in the domestic tournaments, and has continued that for the team. The Jharkhand player scored a brilliant century against New Zealand and showed his explosive form in India colours, and is now tipped to open the innings for India.

In the crucial warm-up match against South Africa, captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed the opening combination as Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma, explicitly stating "definitely Ishan" for the top slot. This move in the final preparation game strongly indicates that Samson has lost the opener's role for the tournament opener.