What are India's Two Concerns ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026?

As defending champions, India enters the 2026 T20 World Cup as clear favorites, especially on home soil.

They boast a strong record since their 2024 triumph, including dominant performances in 2024 and continued success through 2025 under captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir.

India's T20 setup excels with exceptional depth, versatility, and match-winning quality across departments. The team features an explosive and flexible batting lineup with openers like Abhishek Sharma, reliable middle-order contributions from players such as Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, and powerful finishing from all-rounders like Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.

In the bowling department, the versatile Jasprit Bumrah leads the line with menace, and the Indian

conditions will bolster the venom of the spin attack. Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav are the spin twins for the Indian team, who are expected to play a crucial part in the tournament as well.

Despite the positives, India has shown vulnerabilities in recent outings, including batting collapses and tactical missteps. Here are two concerns that could derail their campaign if unresolved.

Form Slump of Leadership Core

Captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill have struggled for runs lately, raising questions about their ability to lead from the front. Surya's unreliable form and Gill's inconsistency in T20Is have forced over-reliance on others, as seen in matches where early wickets exposed the middle order. Without their contributions, demanding accountability from the team becomes challenging, potentially affecting morale in high-stakes World Cup games.

Over-Dependence on Key Individuals

The team leans heavily on Abhishek Sharma for explosive openings and Tilak Varma for middle-order rescue acts, making the lineup fragile if they fail. Despite the struggles of Gill and Surya, continuous inclusions in Playing 11 have created extra burden for other batters, which remains a conundrum. Although Hardik Pandya has found form with the bat, consistency will be key.

India are placed with USA, Namibia, Netherlands and Pakistan in the group stages, and will be hoping to make a strong mark in the competition. After a joyous campaign last time, the entire nation waits in bated breath, and the Indian team will have to get their act straight, as they have got it in the majority of the last two years in T20I format.