It seems that Rinku will replace Abhishek in the final match of the T20 World Cup 2026 which is scheduled for March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This match has become more crucial for Indian skipper Surya kumar Yadav and Coach Gautam Gambhir to make a final decision on opening batsman Abhishek Sharma, as he is struggling to find his form in the current T20 World Cup 2026
In this World Cup, Abhishek Sharma has played 8 matches so far, including the semi-final against England, where he has scored 89 runs, including 55 against Zimbabwe. If we exclude those 55 runs from his total, he has scored only 34 runs in 7 matches, which is a very poor performance for a batsman like Abhishek Sharma.
The team management was very concerned about his batting form in the current World Cup. As the final is a big one, team management, including Coach Gambhir, would not like to take more risk by including him in the playing XI ahead of Rinku Singh, who seems to be in form and sitting on the bench.
Sources close to the BCCI have reported that Abhishek Sharma will not play in the finals and Rinku Singh will replace him. If the Indian team management does this, then it will be a welcome decision.
Kuldeep to replace Varun in the Final:
On the other hand, India’s premium spin bowler Varun Chakraborthy’s form is also deteriorating as the tournament progresses. He has been seen in poor form in the last few matches. He is giving more runs and taking fewer wickets. Keeping this in mind, it seems the Indian team management is considering giving him a rest in the final and bringing Kuldeep Yadav into the playing XI for the blockbuster final.
On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav has played only one match in this T20 World Cup so far, against Pakistan, and he has given a good performance in that too, taking 1 wicket in 3 overs for only 14 runs.
There is another positive in including Kuldeep Yadav in the team: he has played only one match in this World Cup, so he is completely fresh, and if he comes into the playing 11, he can give a good performance. On the other hand, Varun Chakraborthy is playing continuous matches, which is making him look very tired. He needs some rest to regain his good form in the coming days. That is why Kuldeep Yadav can be part of the playing XI for the final match, to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8
