With 50 days remaining before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026, discussions around India’s attempt to defend the trophy are gathering pace, even as the squad announcement is still awaited, which is scheduled to happen on December 20. The build-up has triggered assessments of India’s depth, the pressures of defending a title at home, especially as it has never been done before.
JioStar experts Irfan Pathan and Robin Uthappa shared perspectives on what lies ahead for the reigning champions. Their analysis ranged from India’s squad strength to the difficulty of sustaining success across cycles, particularly in a format where margins are thin and momentum is fleeting.
“This Indian team is extremely strong in terms of quality and depth, with multiple players competing hard for every spot. Compared to past eras, the options are far better, which is why India has a great chance to defend the title. There will always be a few concerns with any side, including this one, but if this team executes its skills to potential, it will be very difficult to stop India from retaining the T20 World Cup,” Pathan said while speaking on JioStar press room.
Pathan also reflected on the historical challenge of defending a T20 title, especially following significant personnel changes since the 2024 triumph. He pointed to the evolving conditions, and noted that India and Australia at the front of the contenders list, while identifying Afghanistan as a dangerous side and highlighting the intrigue of Group D.
“India and Australia are clear favourites, but watch out for Afghanistan, and Group D looks intriguing with South Africa’s struggles against wrist-spinners. I’m especially keen on newcomers Italy in their debut and Nepal, who’ve already beaten West Indies and shown promise,” the southpaw mentioned.
Form can be a concern but Uthappa backs players
Uthappa’s focus was firmly on handling decisive moments. He spoke on the importance of capitalising on the form and added that the women's team broke the host curse by winning the Women's World Cup earlier in the year.
“India’s losses in tournament knockouts have been one-off pressure games where we’ve faltered after a strong start. Momentum at the right time is crucial, along with handling the law of averages. Form can be a concern, but big players step up in big moments, like defending 30/30 in the previous T20 World Cup through bowling and fielding. It all comes down to managing pressure in those decisive clashes," Uthappa said. "We’ve broken the host curse with the Women’s World Cup; India can do it again," he added.
