Former wicketkeeper-batter Ambati Rayudu has made some bold predictions regarding India’s squad for the 2028 T20 World Cup. In the ongoing IPL season, several players have delivered outstanding performances, making selection a challenging task for the selectors. The 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been a standout performer, amassing a remarkable 776 runs in 16 matches. Apart from him, players like Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, and Sanju Samson have also impressed with consistent performances. However, Rayudu believes that Gujarat Titans openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan should lead the batting line-up for India at the marquee event.
Gill and Sudharsan have emerged as the most formidable opening pair of IPL 2026. With 885 runs together this season, they are just 54 runs short of surpassing the record held by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers (939 runs) for the highest runs scored by an opening pair in IPL history.
Rayudu stated that having Gill and Sudharsan as India’s openers would be a significant advantage, as their style of play is well-suited to the conditions in Australia and New Zealand.
“I think we are witnessing a pair that might travel to Australia and tackle the conditions there. The wicket was very similar in pace and bounce. And the ease with which these two are batting…I’ll be surprised if both of them don’t go there,” Rayudu said on ESPNCricinfo.
“If conditions suit them, if you take a Gill, you would like to take Sudharsan as well, because they both complement each other beautifully. You are seeing it in the partnership; they both know each other’s game very well. It’s a great add-on if you want them to excel in different conditions,” he added.
It is worth noting that Gill was dropped from India’s T20I squad for the series against New Zealand and was later omitted from the 2026 T20 World Cup squad just before the IPL.
However, former Australia cricketer Tom Moody cautioned about the high level of competition and pressure that comes with playing in a World Cup.
“The depth they have got is just phenomenal. But again, you are looking at the micro space of IPL; you need to look at the bigger picture. We all get carried away with what happens in IPL. But international cricket is on a different level again,” he said.
“We have seen it dictate selection in all forms of the game, haven’t we? Have a good IPL and that can get you selected in the Test team,” he added.
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