Former India head coach Ravi Shastri also warned the current team about the volatility of the T20 format ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Despite naming Team India the heavy favourites for the tournament, Shastri cautioned them that a poor phase could decide the outcome of a game as well.

Talking about India’s chances in the upcoming T20 World Cup, Shastri told the ICC: “I think the defending champions start as clear favorites. Man to man, current form, match fitness, the amount of cricket they have played in recent times, makes them clear favorites. When you’re defending your title and when you’re playing at home, there is pressure, and it comes from nowhere. You have a bad 15 minutes, a bad 10 minutes in a T20 game, it can decide the outcome of the game.”

READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli

“And often, you lose those 10 minutes or 15 minutes because of pressure. So, it’s how India handles that pressure, the way they start the tournament. If they start well, even if there is a hiccup on the way, they have got depth in batting to pull them out of it,” he stated.

Ravi Shastri also believes that the Indian team picked for the T20 World Cup has the perfect mix of experience and youth as well. He also claims that the young players will carry no baggage, allowing them to do well in a high-pressure situation.

“There’s less baggage on a lot of players. They’re playing their first World Cup, and it’s an opportunity for them to express themselves. And from the team that played the previous World Cup and won it in the West Indies, you’ve got tons of experience and brilliance. There’s Jasprit Bumrah, there’s Hardik Pandya, who I think is in terrific form at the moment, and the ability for him to contribute with bat and ball. Shivam Dube has come along nicely. When you look at variety, players at the right positions, and balance, India can defend this title,” Ravi Shastri concluded.