Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik stated that India remains a very tough side to beat globally. He added that the team is even stronger on home ground, where they consistently play ‘seriously good cricket’.
“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,” Dinesh Karthik told Jiostar.
He further added, “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.”
Former West Indies player Ian Bishop explained that historical performance is not always decisive. He added that India’s preparation between tournaments gives them a clear advantage.
“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 mentioned.
Bishop added, “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.”
Former England captain Nasser Hussain discussed the rise of T20 cricket and its appeal.
“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,” Nasser 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,” Hussain added.
The ICC has placed India in Group A alongside Pakistan, the USA, the Netherlands, and Namibia.
The defending champions will begin their campaign against the USA at Wankhede Stadium on February 7. They will follow this with a match against Namibia at Arun Jaitley Stadium on February 12.
They will then face Pakistan at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15.
India will conclude the league stage against the Netherlands at Narendra Modi Stadium on February 18.
Experts agree that India’s blend of youth and attacking cricket positions them as one of the strongest teams for the T20 World Cup 2026. They also noted that meticulous preparation further strengthens their chances in the tournament.
Experts added that playing on home soil gives India a further advantage, as conditions are favourable for the team.
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