“I feel it will be the same team in the World Cup” - Ex-India coach opens up on Indian T20I squad selected for South Africa series

Former Indian coach Abhishek Nayar has asserted that the Indian T20I squad selected for the forthcoming five-match series against South Africa will be the same squad that will participate in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be played in India and Sri Lanka.

Speaking exclusively on JioStar, Nayar has stated that fans could witness changes to the current T20I squad only if there are any fitness concerns among the current players. However, he reckoned that the picked squad is the right team heading into the mega event next year.

"Yahi squad hoga. Agar koi change hota hai toh woh fitness ke karan hai warna apko yahi squad nazar ayegi. Yeh acchi soch hai kyunki aap chahte hai ki jo combination barkarar khelti aa rahi hai T20, woh yaha se leke World Cup tak khele. Saath hi saath apko fitness zehen mai rakhna hoga ki yeh team mein se koi bahar jata hai ton unka replacement kon hoga. Usko dimag mai rakhke yeh sahi team hai aur yahi team World Cup mein hogi.  ("It will be the same squad. If there is any change, it will only be due to fitness issues; otherwise, you will see the same squad. It is good thinking because you want the same combination that has been playing constantly to play from here till the World Cup. Along with this, you have to keep fitness in mind because if someone goes out from this team, then we have to see who will be their replacement. Keeping that in mind, this is the right team, and I feel it will be the same team in the World Cup."),” he said on JioStar.

Team India is scheduled to play a five-match T20I series, starting on Tuesday, December 9, at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya have made their return to the squad after being ruled out of the action due to injuries. 

India squad for T20I series against SA: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar.

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