Ishan Kishan walks out to open with Abhishek Sharma in India’s T20 World Cup warm-up match vs South Africa
Samson, meanwhile, hasn't been in the best of forms in the New Zealand series, having played all 5 matches with a high score of just 24 runs.
India's Ishan Kishan, left, and Abhishek Sharma run between the wickets to score during the third T20 cricket match between India and New Zealand in Guwahati, India, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) In what might turn out to be a regular feature in the upcoming T20 World Cup proper, Ishan Kishan walked out to open with Abhishek Sharma instead of Sanju Samson in the warm-up match vs South Africa on Thursday. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav reveled the change after the toss against the Proteas at the Dy Patil Stadium.
“Going to bat first. I’ve heard there might be dew later on, so we want to challenge our bowlers. Want to test ourselves tonight. Definitely Ishan and Abhishek (to open). When you play the sport, it comes with a lot of responsibility. Pressure is always there. But at the same time, there’s so many people coming out to support you. Gives you an extra advantage. Just want to follow what we’ve been doing in the last one and a half years. Continue those good habits,” Surya said.
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