Punjab Newsline,Sports:
Former wicketkeeper highlights India’s depth, attacking style and strong home record as key strengths
Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik believes that defending champions India will once again enter the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as one of the strongest contenders. He said that India are a difficult team to beat anywhere in the world, but overcoming them in home conditions is an even tougher challenge.
With less than a month remaining before the tournament begins, Karthik shared his views on Team India’s prospects along with Nasser Hussain and Ian Bishop. According to Karthik, the depth of Indian cricket is one of its biggest strengths. He pointed out that India have such a vast pool of talent that they could almost field two competitive teams and still perform at a high level.
Karthik also noted that the current Indian side has a fresh look. Senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are no longer part of the setup. Instead, the team is being led by Suryakumar Yadav and features several young players. Despite this transition, India have played fearless and highly attacking cricket in recent times, which makes them a formidable unit heading into the World Cup.
Former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop said that while past records do play a role, history alone does not decide outcomes. He cited examples such as West Indies, who won the T20 World Cup in 2016 but failed to make a deep run in 2021, and New Zealand’s women’s team, which won the World Cup in 2024 after a difficult phase. Bishop believes that what matters most is how a team prepares between tournaments, and in this regard, India have built themselves well since their last World Cup triumph.
Bishop also highlighted dew as a major factor during matches scheduled in India and Sri Lanka in February and March. He recalled the 2016 semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium, where India scored over 190 runs but struggled to defend the total due to heavy dew, allowing West Indies to chase it down. According to him, dew will continue to be a crucial factor in subcontinent conditions.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain spoke about the growing appeal of T20 cricket. He said that teams are increasingly relying on white-ball specialists, many of whom are drawn towards T20 cricket because of its popularity. Hussain added that while Test cricket still has its loyal followers, T20 remains the most popular format among fans, especially in this part of the world.
Hussain further said that a T20 World Cup is a massive event, particularly when hosted in India and Sri Lanka. It provides a global platform where strong performances under pressure attract attention from franchises worldwide.
India have been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, USA, Netherlands and Namibia. Team India will begin their campaign against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai.