As the cricket world turns its attention to the co-host showdown India And Sri Lankabuzz around ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 The fever has reached its peak. With India entering the tournament as defending champions, the question is not just whether they can reach the final on home soil, but also who will face them at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Recently, a panel of veteran Indian cricketers and analysts discussed on Star Sports and unanimously said that India is the team to beat.
Indian experts shortlist the most likely finalists against India
In a high-profile discussion on Star Sports, legends from Indian cricket history shared their vision for the 2026 final. While every single expert confidently placed India in the summit clash, their predictions for the other finalists revealed an interesting divide in how they view the current global T20 hierarchy.
The panel’s predictions are summarized below:
| name of specialist | Estimated Finalists |
| Robin Uthappa | India vs South Africa |
| Aakash Chopra | india vs australia |
| Cheteshwar Pujara | India vs England |
| Anil Kumble | India vs England |
| Mohammad Kaif | India vs South Africa |
| Sanjay Bangar | india vs australia |
| Suresh Raina | india vs new zealand |
| Irfan Pathan | india vs australia |
Data shows trend toward heavier weights Australiawith Irfan Pathan, Aakash ChopraAnd Sanjay Bangar Everyone is expecting a high-stakes rematch 2023 ODI World Cup Final. Meanwhile, the veteran spinners prefer Anil Kumble And giants love batting Cheteshwar Pujara are wary of of England T20 aggression influenced by buzzball. Interestingly, Suresh Raina stood as the lone voice of support new zealandPerhaps acknowledging the Black Caps’ amazing ability to perform well in ICC events.
India will start its title defense from home ground
India’s journey to defend the title it won in 2024 is structured as a marathon, not a sprint. As co-host, Suryakumar Yadav-led The side enjoys the luxury of familiar conditions and a partisan home crowd, but the pressure of being the hunted rather than the hunter is immense.
india schedule starts Group Awhere they are destined to meet usa (7 February), namibia (February 12), Pakistan (February 15), and Netherlands (February 18). While the clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Colombo is the undisputed headliner of the group stage, India’s path to the trophy will require them to go through the dreaded Super 8 stage, where they are expected to face the world’s top-seeded teams.
The Indian management has already signaled a shift towards a “strike-rate first” philosophy, preferring explosive hitters Abhishek Sharma And Tilak Verma along with clinical completion of hardik pandya And Rinku Singh. with final schedule 8 March 2026In Ahmedabad, the roadmap is clear: dominate the powerplay, rely on mastery Jasprit Bumrah in the death overs, and converted home advantage into a historic third T20 World Cup title.
Also read: ‘When your leader…’: Rahul Dravid makes big comment on Rohit Sharma’s impact as Indian captain
