Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane has said that all-rounder Washington Sundar might struggle to secure a spot in India’s playing XI for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The mega event will be hosted in India and Sri Lanka and is scheduled to take place from February 7 to March 8 as well.

Speaking in a YouTube video released on Thursday, January 8, Rahane said: “Washington Sundar, again, he can play. He can play any match, but it depends on what the pitch is like, what the opposition’s combination is, and the conditions you are playing in. All these things matter a lot because you already have Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakaravarthy. All three are different kinds of spinners.”

“So it will be very difficult for Washington Sundar, as an all-rounder, to get into the team. But as I said, looking at the team combination is very important, and he could still start in the playing XI. Again, he is a very good option to have in the squad. He is a batting all-rounder who can give you maybe two overs, and in batting as well, he is very flexible and can bat at any position,” he further added.

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In the same video, Ajinkya Rahane also added that India pacer Harshit Rana might miss out on the playing XI for the World Cup as well, but he remains a confident bowler capable of leaving a mark in the early overs as well.

He said: “Harshit Rana, I feel, is a very confident player. He has a lot of belief in his abilities. Recently, we have seen that he has picked up wickets with the new ball for the team. Whether it is the 50-over format or the T20 matches we have seen, including in the IPL, he gets wickets in the first or second over. That is a very good quality. If you have a fast bowler who can get you a wicket in the first or second over, that breakthrough and that momentum is something every team looks for.”

“So it might be difficult for Harshit Rana to get a chance in the playing XI because you already have Jasprit Bumrah. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube can also bowl two or three overs. But whenever he gets an opportunity, I am sure Harshit will play his role really well because he is a very confident guy and he knows exactly what his role in the team is,” Ajinkya Rahane concluded.