Former India cricketer Anil Kumble feels that India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup is strong but not as strong as the last championship team. The former captain said the Suryakumar Yadav-led side will miss the experience and presence of senior stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

India won the T20 World Cup in 2024, ending their 11-year wait for the ICC title. Rohit Sharma-led team defeated South Africa in the final. Senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from T20Is. They played a vital role throughout the title race.

They will miss Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble, while speaking on the Out of the Park show, was asked to compare India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad with the 2024 championship team. Kamble said he thinks the 2024 team is around 10 per cent ahead, adding that the current squad will miss the experience of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

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“If you talk about experience, they will miss the two legends Virat and Rohit, 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,” Anil Kumble said.

“However, it’s still a challenge. 2024, in terms of conditions, is very different. I might think the 2024 team is maybe 10 percent ahead of this team, but I still feel this team is very close,” he added.

Suryakumar Yadav will be very important – Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble says India need a player to perform in pressure situations in the 2026 T20 World Cup, similar to the role Virat Kohli and Axar Patel played in the 2024 final. He added that Suryakumar Yadav can help India win big moments in the game.

“You can’t really take away experience in those moments. That’s where I feel someone like Suryakumar Yadav will be very crucial. Yes, in terms of form, he will be crucial, but also in making sure that India wins these crucial moments,” Kumble replied.

In the 2024 T20 World Cup final, Kohli scored 76 runs off 59 balls to help India beat South Africa by 7 runs. With India reduced to 34/3, Kohli came to the rescue by combining for 72 runs for the fourth wicket with Axar Patel, who contributed 47 runs off 31 deliveries.

Team India will begin T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7

The 2026 T20 World Cup will be held between February 7 and March 8 between India and Sri Lanka. The defending champions are in Group A with Pakistan, Namibia, Netherlands and the United States.

India have several options at the top of the order, including Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. In the middle order are Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh.

The team also offers strong depth across the board. Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dubey and Hardik Pandya provide balance with bat and ball, especially in the lower middle order.

India is likely to launch a bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy. Depending on the situation, the team could add Kuldeep Yadav to add spin or Harshit Rana to strengthen the pace department.

Also read: Ishan Kishan takes a shot at Rohit Sharma for dropping him from the team