Mumbai: Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik believes defending champions India remain a formidable force heading into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, citing the team’s depth, attacking approach and strong record in home conditions.
With less than a month to go before the marquee tournament begins, Karthik, along with Nasser Hussain and Ian Bishop, shared insights on Team India’s prospects in the upcoming multi-national tournament, which is set to start on February 7.
“India is a very tough team to beat in most parts of the world, but when it comes to their own backyard, they play some seriously good cricket,” Karthik told Jiostar.
“Everybody is aware of the depth in Indian cricket, which is fascinating to see because they could almost put up a couple of teams and still compete quite comfortably, given the recent success they’ve had. It’s a fairly fresh team they’re coming up with now. There are no longer the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. They have a new captain in Suryakumar Yadav and a very young side, and they’ve played some fabulous, very attacking cricket,” he added.
Former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop stressed that while history is not always decisive, India’s preparation between World Cups gives them an edge as defending champions.
“History has some bearing, but I don’t think it is the be-all and end-all. There are a number of cautionary tales. West Indies were champions in 2016, but when the tournament was played again in 2021, they didn’t go very far. From the women’s side, New Zealand came in after losing a lot of games and then went on to win the World Cup in 2024,” Bishop said.
“With India being the defending champions, it depends on how they’ve built between World Cups, and I think they’ve built pretty well. So their history will be a positive one,” he added.
Bishop also highlighted dew as a major challenge teams could face during the tournament in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.
“One of the biggest challenges in India at that time of year is dew, which plays a massive role. I remember the 2016 semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium. India scored over 190, but the dew made it difficult to field, and West Indies chased it down. Dew played a huge part in that game, and it remains a big factor in subcontinent conditions,” he said.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain spoke about the evolution of T20 cricket and why the format continues to attract global attention.
“Teams have gravitated towards white-ball specialists, and those specialists have gravitated towards T20 cricket because of its popularity. While many still love Test cricket, if you ask fans, especially in this part of the world, what their favourite format is, many will say T20,” Hussain said.
“That’s why a T20 World Cup is such a massive tournament, particularly when it’s held in India and Sri Lanka. It’s a shop window as well. Perform on the biggest stage under pressure, and franchises around the world are watching. It’s a format that produces upsets and unforgettable stories, and that’s what makes it so exciting,” he added.
In the Men’s T20 World Cup, defending champions India have been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, USA, Netherlands and Namibia.
India will open its Cup campaign against USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7, before facing Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on February 12.
India’s marquee clash against Pakistan is scheduled for February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, before the side plays its final league stage game against the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 18.
(IANS)
