t20 world cup 2026 All set to start from 7th February Indiawith Sri Lanka Co-hosting a global event – similar to the recently concluded Women’s ODI World Cup 2025In which the Indian women’s team lifted the trophy in spectacular style. As the defending champions, expectations are rising from Team India, who enters the tournament with one of the most balanced and in-form teams in the world. Still, identifying the true match-winners in such a star-studded team is no easy feat.
However, the experienced off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin Has accepted the challenge and named two players who he believes will define India’s campaign at the mega event – and unsurprisingly, Jasprit Bumrah Not one of them.
Ravichandran Ashwin picks India’s trump cards for T20 World Cup 2026
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin shared his insights on India’s key strengths for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Instead of the obvious selection – Bumrah, who dominated in the 2024 edition – Ashwin highlighted Varun Chakraborty And Abhishek Sharma India has “two biggest weapons”.
Ashwin pointed out that while Bumrah’s talent is undeniable, the opposition teams are now well prepared to face him. According to him, the challenge for teams is to understand the mystery and impact of Chakraborty’s spin and Abhishek’s all-round ability.
“If any team wants to win the T20 World Cup in India, they have to master two factors. I was saying till now that Jasprit Bumrah has to be handled. But I will say now, the way I have seen Tim David handling Varun Chakravarthy, I am thinking that if teams have to go beyond India, they have to focus on Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy.” Ashwin said.
The former Indian spinner emphasized that the contrasting but complementary styles of the duo make them a nightmare for the opponents. Varun’s deceptive spin on Indian pitches and Abhishek’s explosive batting at the top of the order can tilt the game in India’s favour.
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Why was Jasprit Bumrah not included in Ashwin’s list?
Ashwin’s ouster of Bumrah, who was the player of the tournament with 15 wickets in India’s 2024 win, may come as a surprise to many. However, the veteran cricketer argued that Bumrah’s consistency has made him a renowned entity. Teams now make their game plan around avoiding his overs rather than attacking him.
In contrast, Varun’s mystery spin and Abhishek’s fearlessness with the bat exude unpredictability – a quality that can break the rhythm of even the most experienced opponents. Ashwin believes that both these players can be decisive in India’s attempt to retain the title on home soil.
“Opposition teams can plan for Bumrah, but handling Chakraborty’s variety and Abhishek’s aggression will be their real test.” He added.
