Former India batter Subramaniam Badrinath had praise mixed with humour after India’s opening win over USA in the T20 World Cup 2026. He highlighted Mohammed Siraj’s sudden entry into the side and Suryakumar Yadav’s calm rescue act in a tense match in Mumbai.
India began their World Cup campaign with a 29-run win over the United States of America at the Wankhede Stadium. The victory, however, was far from smooth, with India slipping badly with the bat before recovering through their captain.
Siraj was not even part of the original plan. He replaced injured Harshit Rana in the squad and then came into the playing XI after Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to illness. Despite the late call, Siraj delivered straight away.
“He was eating biryani in Hyderabad only two days back,” Badrinath joked on his YouTube channel. “But despite being suddenly called up for a World Cup game, he bowled very well.”
Siraj finished with figures of 3 for 29 in four overs. His spell broke the back of the USA chase and ensured India stayed ahead even after their batting struggles earlier in the match.
While praising the bowlers, Badrinath did not hold back on India’s batting collapse. India were reduced to 45 for 4 and then 77 for 6 against what he described as an average USA attack.
“Those were scary moments,” he said. “To be 45 for 4 and 77 for 6 is unacceptable. The batters did not assess the conditions properly.”
According to Badrinath, the pitch had help for both seamers and spinners, but Indian batters tried to slog instead of applying themselves. He warned that such an approach will not work every time in a World Cup.
India were rescued by skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who played a smart and controlled innings under pressure. He started carefully, respected the conditions, and then accelerated once set.
“He played a smart innings with the team under pressure,” Badrinath said on Star Sports. “The quality of a batter is judged by the range of shots, and that’s where he stands out.”
Badrinath pointed out how Suryakumar used all parts of the ground and did not ignore the off side. With six wickets down, he focused on percentage cricket and still kept the scoreboard moving.
Suryakumar’s knock also continued his red-hot form in 2026. In six T20 internationals this year, he is averaging 108 with a strike rate close to 190, numbers that underline his impact.
India took the win, but the match served as a warning. Siraj’s sudden brilliance and Suryakumar’s class saved the day, yet concerns remain over the fragile top order as the tournament moves ahead.