Published: Jan 16, 2026, 01:47 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 16, 2026, 01:47 PM (IST)
Former India and RCB wicketkeeper, Dinesh Karthik believes defending champions India remain a formidable side heading into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, highlighting the team’s depth, attacking style, and strong home record.
With the tournament set to begin on February 7, Karthik, alongside former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop, shared insights on India’s prospects in the multi-nation event.
“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.
Ian Bishop stressed that while history isn’t everything, 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 factor for teams playing in India and Sri Lanka during 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 explained.
Defending champions India have been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, and Namibia.
For all latest updates of T20 World Cup 2026 you can visit: https://www.cricketcountry.com/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026/
