The T20 World Cup 2026 is less than two months away and will run from February 7 to March 8. The Indian team for the same was announced last week, and there were a couple of surprise picks in the side. Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh returned to the Indian side, while Shubman Gill was dropped.
Gill, who was appointed vice-captain of the side before the Asia Cup, was not in the best form in this format and hence couldn’t find a spot. Another player who didn’t find a place in the side was Jitesh Sharma. He was the first-choice wicketkeeper for India in the recent series against the Proteas.
Apart from this, Axar Patel has once again been appointed the vice-captain of the side. India, the defending champions and the co-host, will start their campaign against the USA on February 7. The highly anticipated match against Pakistan will be played on Sunday, February 15.
Let’s do a SWOT analysis of the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup:
Strengths – India’s dominant batting and bowling attack
India has been one of the most dominant sides in T20Is recently, both with the bat and with the ball. Abhishek Sharma, at the top of the order, has been a force to reckon with in this format since his debut. The current number one T20I batter amassed 859 runs in 21 matches this year at a strike rate of 193.46, including one century and five half-centuries. Tilak Varma also had a great year, finishing as India’s second-highest run-scorer in this format.
Also Read: Gill out, Kishan In – India announces squad for 2026 T20 World Cup
The addition of Ishan Kishan, given his recent form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, makes India’s top order one of the best in the world. Plus, Sanju Samson will open the batting for the team in Gill’s absence, and that has worked wonders for the team in the past.
The Indian spin trio of Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel took a total of 74 wickets this year. Varun is the number one bowler in the ICC rankings. These three were responsible for India’s dominant performance in the Asia Cup and played crucial roles in the middle overs. Most of the teams are likely to struggle against the Indian team in the middle overs against this trio.
Jasprit Bumrah won the Player of the Tournament award in the last edition of the T20 World Cup. He, along with Arshdeep Singh, makes a perfect duo and is likely to continue dominating opponents.
Weakness – The untested middle order
The Indian top order made maximum runs for the team this year, and hence, the middle-order batters remained untested. Rinku Singh, who is likely to slot in the finisher role, got a chance to bat in just three games this year. Shivam Dube faced just 125 deliveries throughout the year and batted in just 12 matches.
Opportunity – First team to defend the T20 World Cup crown
No team has ever successfully defended the T20 World Cup title, and no host team has ever won the tournament. India has a chance to become the first team to achieve both these feats.
Threat – The form of Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav remained out of form throughout this year. For the first time since his debut in 2021, Suryakumar failed to score a half-century for the team. He managed just 218 runs in 19 outings at a mere average of 13.62. For India to excel in the tournament, the Indian captain will have to find his lost mojo.
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