Former India captain MS Dhoni has expressed strong confidence in the Indian team’s prospects at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, backing the squad’s balance of experience, skill and clearly defined roles to deliver in high-pressure situations. With India entering the tournament as defending champions, Dhoni believes the current setup is well-equipped to handle the demands of modern T20 cricket, where preparation and role clarity often separate good teams from great ones.
According to MS Dhoni, one of India’s biggest strengths lies in the mindset of the players, who are constantly operating in “match mode.” Whether it is batters fine-tuning their power-hitting or bowlers sharpening their plans for death overs, the squad remains mentally prepared for game-day scenarios. This readiness, he feels, gives India a crucial edge over rivals in crunch moments.
“It’s one of the most dangerous teams. You know, they would have already started batting or bowling. But what all is needed in a good team? Everything is there. They have the experience. Especially in this format, the experience is vast. They have played under pressure. Whoever is playing whatever roles they are playing in the team, they have been in that situation for a considerable period of time,” MS Dhoni was quoted as saying.
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While MS Dhoni sounded optimistic about India’s overall strength, he also flagged one external factor that can heavily influence results in subcontinental conditions — dew. In T20 cricket, dew can tilt the contest by making the ball slippery, aiding chasing teams and turning the toss into a decisive factor. Dhoni admitted that even during his playing days, dew was a major concern because it could undermine carefully laid plans.
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“What worries me? Again, I hate dew. Dew changes a lot of things. So, even when I was playing, something that really scared me was dew. Where the toss becomes crucial and all of that. If we are playing 10 matches with some of the best teams, we will come out as winners more often than not, if the conditions remain neutral,” he explained.
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MS Dhoni also offered a reality check, reminding fans that T20 cricket is inherently unpredictable. A single off day from key players or an exceptional performance from the opposition can swing a match, especially in the knockout stages. He stressed the importance of staying injury-free and executing assigned roles under pressure to maximise India’s chances of lifting another world title.
