India’s World Cup hero Sanju Samson could face stiff competition from newcomers for the T20I spot as the youngsters continue to dominate IPL 2026.
Sanju Samson’s move to CSK has not borne much fruit as he has failed to make a consistent effort with the bat. Samson scored a hundred and followed it up with 48 in CSK’s two wins, but his form does not promise to win matches regularly.
With the emergence of several new cricketers in the form of dynamic spinners who can utilize the powerplay even better, Samson’s importance in the Indian team could be dimmed. This time around, he may not find a place in the middle order either, with players like Rajat Patidar and Shreyas Iyer putting up a spectacular show.
Five opening batsmen who can threaten Sanju Samson’s position in the Indian T20 team
5. Priyansh Arya
PBKS scouts did a wonderful job in selecting a talent like Priyansh Arya from the first season of Delhi Premier League. He gained recognition for smashing 6 sixes in a single in the DPL.
Having played for the Punjab Kings, Priyansh scored over 450 runs along with his first IPL hundred in 2025. He has continued his form this season as well, with a brilliant innings against Lucknow Super Giants.
Arya has scored 211 runs this season and has a massive strike rate of 248 with a decent average of 42. His 93 off just 37 balls against LSG was a masterclass in this IPL season.
4. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal might seem like the ideal choice to replace Sanju Samson, not because he plays as an opener but because Jaiswal is the perfect combination of attacking play and game awareness. Jaiswal is never too naïve to play inappropriate shots and understands well how to pace his innings as per the requirements of the batsman.
Being a consistent genius for India in T20 cricket before being dropped from the team, he has racked up several runs for Rajasthan Royals even in the toughest of seasons. On the other hand, this season also he has scored 223 runs in 6 matches and stands out with 152.73.
3. Prabhsimran Singh
The Punjab Kings opener, who has been playing in the IPL for the last few years, has always made useful contributions for his team. He had his breakout season in 2023 when he started as a full-time starter for the Kings.
Having scored 700 runs in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Prabhsimran was among the three players retained by PBKS ahead of the mega auction of the 2025 season. He paid off the faith with 549 runs in the season and crossed 160.
This season too, Prabhsimran has had a very promising contact along with his opening partner Cooper Connolly and captain Shreyas Iyer. With 211 runs, he has played two winners against the Mumbai Indians and the Hyderabad Sunrisers.
2. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
The 15-year-old has been the talk of the town for the past year. He has racked up runs, but what makes him an exception and a great asset to the T20 team is his blistering shooting speed and fearless ability to strike the ball.
With 246 runs this season, Sooryavanshi, now 15, is available for selection in the senior men’s team. He has been in the limelight since his first hundred in the IPL in 2025. Along with Abhishek Sharma, he could form one of the most destructive opening pairs the world has ever witnessed.
1. Shubman Gill
The former India vice-captain is the last name on our list and also the most likely to be back in contention for the inaugural T20 spot. If Gill dominates this IPL season, he will return to the Indian team.
Last time the message was very clear that Gill’s form made him unsuitable for the combination and as a result he was dropped from the World Cup squad. But with Sanju Samson out of the team, Gill could easily feature at the top as Ishan Kishan has been used extensively at No.3.
He is currently second in the Orange Cap standings and has amassed 265 runs after 5 appearances.
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