New Delhi: India and Sri Lanka will jointly host the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 in February and March next year. A total of 20 teams will participate in this tournament. Last time in June 2024 this mega event was held in the West Indies and America where India won the title under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma. Currently the Indian team which is at the top of the ICC rankings is once again considered a strong contender to win the title. Now the question is—who will be the opening pair for India?
Suresh Raina picks potential openers
When former India batsman Suresh Raina was asked to pick Indias opening pair for the T20 World Cup 2026 he called Yashasvi Jaiswal a sure choice.

Jaiswals record
Yashasvi Jaiswal has so far scored 723 runs in 23 T20 Internationals. His aggressive style and consistent performance make him an important part of the team.

Name of Abhishek Sharma and Priyansh Arya
According to Raina the second opener could be Abhishek Sharma or young batsman Priyansh Arya. Abhishek has scored 535 runs in 17 matches and is currently at the top of the ICC T20 batsmen’s rankings. At the same time Priyansh has not yet made his debut for India but his performance for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 was excellent.

Other options are also strong
Raina also said that batsmen like Sanju Samson KL Rahul and Ruturaj Gaikwad are also strong contenders. Shubman Gill is not only an option in batting but can also be the captain in the future.
👉 Who should be Indias opening pair according to you—Abhishek Sharma with Jaiswal Priyansh Arya or any experienced player?

 Story Highlights

T20 World Cup 2026 will be played in India and Sri Lanka.
20 teams will participate in this mega tournament.
Suresh Raina called Yashasvi Jaiswal a surefire opener.
Abhishek Sharma and Priyansh Arya are also in the race.