I would probably rate the 2024 Indian team as 10 percent ahead of this team: Anil Kumble

Former team India head coach and commentator Anil Kumble has stated that India’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is well-balanced, but added that the 2024 title-winning side was 10% ahead of the current team due to their experience in high-pressure situations.

Speaking exclusively on Star Sports, Kumble believed that the current Indian team will miss the experience of former talismanic batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who played a crucial role in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 title-winning campaign. 

“If you talk about experience, they will miss Virat and Rohit, the two legends, but if you talk about balance, I feel this team is also good because you have bowling options and the batting is different in terms of approach at the top,” Kumble said while speaking on Star Sports’ “Out of the Park" show.

“However, it’s still going to be challenging. 2024, in terms of conditions, was very different. I would probably rate the 2024 team maybe 10 percent ahead of this team, but I still feel this team is very close to that,” he added.

“Those are moments where you can’t really take the experience away. That’s where I feel that someone like a Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) will be very crucial. Yes, in terms of form, he will be crucial, but also ensuring those clutch moments are won by India," Kumble concluded.

The defending champions, India, are placed in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, the USA, and Pakistan. They will play their opening fixture against the USA on Saturday, February 7.

India squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.

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