India vs Namibia: Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan to open in Delhi? Reports reveal Abhishek Sharma's absence from practice session

Abhishek Sharma's availability continues to be in doubt for India's next fixture against Namibia, slated to be held in Delhi on Thursday (February 12). The Punjab batter was absent from India's training session on Tuesday (February 10) and reports state that he is still unwell and taking rest.

Meanwhile, Sanju Samson batted extensively during the training session and this is a sign that Abhishek might possibly miss the Namibia fixture. For those unaware, Samson didn't bat in the nets at all before India's tournament opener and even the bowlers in the side had gotten some batting practice ahead of the 31-year-old.

If Abhishek does miss out, Samson's entry is a no-brainer and it also gives the right-left combination that head coach Gautam Gambhir is so fond of. Of course, Abhishek's absence is a massive void, given that he is the top-ranked T20I batter at the moment and has arguably been the best batter in international T20s since the last 12-18 months.

However, this is a great opportunity for Samson to bounce back and stake his claim for a spot in the starting XI. Regardless of how much Kishan scores, he is likely to start over Samson when Abhishek recovers fully. But, getting a big score against Namibia will push Samson's chances considerably, especially if Kishan has a couple of low scores.

If Samson doesn't make this chance count, a couple of failures won't be enough for Kishan won't suffice for the Jharkhand batter to be dropped, given that Samson has been out of form for much longer. Nevertheless, the duo is likely to open India's batting in Delhi. With the India-Pakistan match back on schedule, the defending champions would want Abhishek in peak health for that marquee clash.

Abhishek has been suffering from high over since the past week and played the USA fixture despite experiencing extreme health constraints. He fell for a golden duck and then didn't come out to field due to a stomach upset. Abhishek's health is being monitored continuously on a regular basis.