Since the completion of the T20 World Cup 2026, both Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have received a lot of plaudits for their performance. The two wicketkeeper batters were instrumental to India’s success as the Men in Blue became the first team to win the T20 World Cup at home.
Their high returns with the bat in hand have raised speculations among Indian fans that they should be included in the One-Day setup as well. Since the Asia Cup in 2023, KL Rahul has been India’s designated wicketkeeper in fifty-over cricket. Since then, India has won the Asia Cup in 2023, reached the final of the ODI World Cup in 2023, and won the Champions Trophy in 2025. In all these campaigns, Rahul played a pivotal role for the Men in Blue.
However, fans, after being impressed by Samson and Kishan’s performances, are now asking for their inclusion in ODIs. Will KL Rahul be the man to make way for the two? Let’s find out.
KL Rahul to be dropped from ODIs?
🚨BIG ODI SELECTION QUESTION FOR INDIA.🚨
After their T20 WC 2026 performances, Sanju Samson & Ishan Kishan are now pushing for a place in India’s ODI team, creating a selection difficulty for the selectors.🤯
If they selected then KL Rahul & Pant out🙄pic.twitter.com/pPdbR1lxzo
— Sam (@Cricsam01) March 13, 2026
Thanks to their performances in the T20 World Cup 2026, Kishan and Samson are on their way to being included in the ODI setup, according to many fans on Twitter. Ishan Kishan is one of the very few players to have scored a double century in One-Day cricket. What works in his favour is that the current Indian batting lineup is stacked with right-handed batters, and he could provide a left-handed option.
🚨 THE WORLD CUP PLAYING XI OF INDIA IN 2027 THAT PEOPLE REALLY NEED 🚨
1. ʀᴏʜɪᴛ ꜱʜᴀʀᴍᴀ
2. ʏᴀꜱʜᴀꜱᴠɪ ᴊᴀɪꜱᴡᴀʟ
3. ᴠɪʀᴀᴛ ᴋᴏʜʟɪ
4. ꜱʜʀᴇʏᴀꜱ ɪʏᴇʀ (ᴄ)
5. ꜱᴀɴᴊᴜ ꜱᴀᴍꜱᴏɴ (ᴡᴋ)
6. ʜᴀʀᴅɪᴋ ᴩᴀɴᴅʏᴀ
7. ᴀxᴀʀ ᴩᴀᴛᴇʟ (ᴠᴄ)
8. ʜᴀʀꜱʜɪᴛ ʀᴀɴᴀ
9.…— Rohan AD (@RohanAD6) March 13, 2026
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) have been announcing their playing XI and squads for the ODI World Cup in South Africa. Among these playing XIs, many do not have KL Rahul in the team.
Kl Rahul for what ? We’re is sanju ????
— Sujith kattoor (@sujithgopalan84) March 13, 2026
Meanwhile, fans have also called out why Rahul would be selected over Sanju Samson for the ODI World Cup in 2027.
KL Rahul receives backing from fans
A heavy negative PR campaign is being run against KL Rahul. Some PR accounts supporting Sanju Samson are pushing an agenda that Rahul should be replaced by Samson.
But these people don’t even realize what Rahul has already done in the ODI setup.pic.twitter.com/wP9c4PoYaI
— INCUBUS (@klraahull) March 13, 2026
The Indian wicketkeeper batter has also received some support from the fans on social media platforms. People have called out the decision to have Samson or Kishan over Rahul as a paid PR agenda.
Me when people talk about dropping Iyer and KL Rahul from ODIs .
pic.twitter.com/99MCKImoNS— Prashant Shokeen (@PrashantShokee7) March 13, 2026
There is a section of fans who have expressed their emotions on how they feel when someone talks about dropping KL Rahul from the ODI setup after his accomplishments in recent years.
Won’t happen
They can’t drop KL Rahul— Jacob Bethell (@CrickZoneX) March 13, 2026
Replying to tweets saying Kishan and Samson would be preferred over Rahul, people have called out the decision and believe it won’t happen.
