T20 World Cup 2026: Predicting India's strongest playing XI against USA

India will open their T20 World Cup 2026 tournament against the United States of America (USA) on February 7, 2026. This encounter will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India and the USA are placed in Group A with Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands.

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India are the defending champions of the T20 World Cup, having won the tournament in 2024 that was held in the USA and West Indies. But this time, India will miss three key players from their lineup in Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, who played a huge role in that win.

The Indian team has been on a roll since Suryakumar Yadav took over as T20I captain with total domination, and they have rewritten how to bat in the format. With this in mind, let's take a look at the strongest India playing XI for their T20 World Cup opener against the USA.

Predicting India's strongest playing XI against the USA

Ishan Kishan has more or less replaced Sanju Samson as the first-choice opener and keeper in the India T20I XI, thanks to his amazing outing against New Zealand, where he smoked his maiden T20I ton as well. Abhishek Sharma will be a huge threat to not only the USA but also to every opposition India faces.

India will have a strong middle order as well, thanks to the return of Tilak Varma in the XI. He, along with Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, will form a deadly combination, especially targeting the spinners in the middle overs.

One of Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh will be the finisher for India, along with vice-captain Axar Patel; that will give India a lengthy batting lineup. India can further lengthen their batting by bringing in Harshit Rana into the XI, in place of Kuldeep Yadav. But the left-arm wrist-spinner will be preferred against minnows USA team batters.

Varun Chakaravarthy will be the second spinner, a must-have for India in all matches, while Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah take the reins in the pace department.

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Here is India’s predicted strongest playing XI against USA:

Ishan Kishan (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube/ Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana/Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

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