Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said that Team India are far ahead of other teams partaking in the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup in the subcontinent as well. The Indian team have been named as the favourites by fans and pundits, given their skill, form, and familiarity with conditions as well. However, Team India head into the upcoming edition of the World Cup as defending champions, after their historic win in 2024.

“This team is every selectors’ dream, every coach’s dream, and every captain’s dream. You want firepower at the top, you want an outstanding bowler who can handle the pressure, you have outstanding spinners. This is a dream time and a dream run for Indian cricket, and we should just not stop winning trophies,” Irfan Pathan said in an interview with RevSportz.

“A lot of people do criticise the management, but you have got to praise them, seeing how well this young team is playing. Especially how they created the whole atmosphere of being free. This is our World Cup to lose, it is feeling somewhat like that. If you take a look at the other teams, they have a lot of issues. I was just looking at the Australian squad, and some of their main players are injured, or they are recovering,” he further added.

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However, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has faced a lot of trolling for the Test team’s ongoing misfortune, and also the ODI team beginning to show cracks in the early days under Shubman Gill’s captaincy as well.

“Gautam Gambhir is someone who always thinks ahead of the game. I have worked with him a lot in commentary, and when you talk to him, he always speaks about what will happen ahead. That is the biggest plus of Gautam Gambhir. I feel Gautam Gambhir, in T20 cricket, is always ahead of the game, and that is why he has been successful, whether as a captain or a coach,” Irfan Pathan said.

“We should not forget the kind of success he had in the Champions Trophy. Yes, criticism is going to be there, even Gautam knows that as well. Even we have criticised when the team has not done well, which is fair, and he totally understands that, and totally respects that,” Irfan Pathan concluded.