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Cricket PlayersWho replaces Abhishek Sharma vs Namibia? India grapple with selection headache as injuries, illness rock World Cup camp
T20 World Cup 2026: Will India risk rushing Abhishek Sharma back with a high-stakes Pakistan clash looming in Colombo?
In just six days since the start of the T20 World Cup 2026 at home, India have gone from surviving a near-shock against the USA in Mumbai to grappling with injuries and illness.
Washington Sundar, who was sidelined with a rib injury, has returned to the squad. Jasprit Bumrah missed the opening game due to illness but bowled at full tilt during India’s first training session in Delhi on Tuesday. Abhishek Sharma, however, was nowhere to be seen.
Reports on Wednesday revealed that Abhishek had played the opener in Mumbai despite a high fever. He did not take the field during the second innings and skipped the post-match handshakes. His condition reportedly worsened after the team arrived in Delhi.
Although he briefly attended a team dinner hosted by head coach Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek left early. He was later admitted to a private hospital in Delhi and missed both practice sessions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium ahead of the Namibia clash.
Tilak Varma confirmed on Wednesday that Abhishek has since been discharged. But will India risk rushing him back with a high-stakes Pakistan clash looming in Colombo?
It would be logical for the management to rest the left-hander and instead give a reserve player an opportunity.
Sanju Samson appears the frontrunner to open alongside Ishan Kishan. A more unconventional option could be Sundar, though he only returned to training this week.
Samson was first at the nets on Tuesday but looked scratchy against Arshdeep Singh and Bumrah before being struck on the left arm. He had an extended session on the eve of the game, again facing Bumrah.
The Namibia match could be pivotal for Samson, who has slipped down the pecking order after a poor home series against New Zealand. Since 2025, he has scored just 268 runs in 16 T20I innings at 16.75. Those numbers prompted management to back the in-form Ishan for the World Cup opener.
Yet Samson retains the support of the team setup.
“At this level, you need honesty and transparency,” assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said. “Sanju’s had all the support possible. When someone like Ishan comes in and performs, selection becomes obvious. But there are still several games to win, and all 15 players are vital to our ambitions.”
Bumrah is expected to return in place of Mohammed Siraj. There is also a possibility that India could bring in Kuldeep Yadav to give him game time ahead of the spin-friendly conditions expected in Colombo.
India's predicted XI vs Namibia: Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.
