A buoyant Eden Gardens went into jubilation after they felt the nervy moments in India’s virtual quarter-final against the West Indies. Again, India weren’t at their best. Kolkata hoped for it, but it wasn’t smooth sailing. Yet, the talent is such that India have managed to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final. A spot in the final should’ve been the bare minimum. However, it has taken a lot out of Suryakumar Yadav’s men to reach the final four.
That’s how topsy-turvy this tournament has been for the Men in Blue. It all started with what could’ve been the biggest shock in cricketing history. The USA side had India on the mat only to see Suryakumar Yadav play a knock of a lifetime. Then came the first signs of India’s not-so-adequate cricket against spin when they faced Namibia. Pakistan were undone by Ishan Kishan, while the bowling was still a question mark against the Netherlands.
Then came a reality check in the form of South Africa in Ahmedabad. There are high chances that this game will be the the T20 World Cup final against on March 8. But the Proteas will take confidence from thrashing India in the first Super 8 clash. Then, as a reply, India finally dished out their best batting performance before leaking 184 runs to Zimbabwe. On Sunday, things could’ve been bleak had Sanju Samson not been there.
As we roll into the semi-finals, let us take a look at six major problems that still remain with Team India. Don’t be surprised if these challenges amalgamate to cost at a non-negotiable stage. Here are the key reasons why India could fail to clinch the T20 World Cup 2026 title if these concerns resurface at the wrong time.
What has happened to Varun Chakaravarthy?
No other bowler (full member) took more wickets than Varun Chakaravarthy between the last T20 World Cup and the ongoing one. The mystery spinner became a mainstay in the white-ball setup, even playing a part in India’s ODI Champions Trophy win and Gautam Gambhir knew he had added another X-factor.
He took 57 wickets since his T20I comeback in just 28 innings, taking a scalp every 11.2 balls. It seemed no batter was picking him until the T20 World Cup arrived. He hasn’t been wicketless in this tournament but looks very wayward. He blew past lesser-known teams in the group stage. But as soon as the Super 8 arrived, Chakaravarthy’s tenacity died down. He was taken to cleaners by South Africa before going at an average economy of over 9.3 against Zimbabwe and the Windies.
He looks short on confidence, bowling short-of-length deliveries. Against WI, perhaps the only great delivery he bowled yielded a wicket for him. Apart from that, Chakaravarthy lacked major control. This is a huge worry for India, who used to bank on his four overs.
Overreliance on Jasprit Bumrah
Now, with Chakaravarthy’s form taking a hit, it has automatically put extra pressure on Jasprit Bumrah. What would India have done without this guy? Time and again, he proves his magic. If his economy of 6.3 at this T20 World Cup doesn’t amaze you, his unreal economy of 5.63 in all T20 World Cups will make you wonder, is this even possible?
Being overreliant on Bumrah shouldn’t be a shocker. He is that master who can spearhead every game and lead the pack without blinking an eye. However, I struggle to think how India would do on a day when Bumrah won’t show up. After all, he is not a machine. He may get hit for runs, or the opposition can intentionally try to play him around. Who will be India’s go-to man then, with Chakaravarthy already feeling the pressure?
Then there’s another problem with the usage of Bumrah. During the Asia Cup 2025, there were occasions when Bumrah bowled even three overs in the powerplay. The idea was to kill the game within the first six overs. Now, Bumrah doesn’t even share the new ball with Arshdeep Singh. It is Hardik Pandya. Sometimes, Suryakumar uses the main weapon not before the 5th over. To scuffle oppositions, India should put their spearhead forward and have him attack alongside Arshdeep with the new ball.
Can Indian fielders catch something?
You may celebrate fielding medals post-match. You may get in a huddle, cheering each other up with a fire of words. But on the field, you are expected to at least control the controllables. Unfortunately, this Indian team has made matters worse for themselves by putting in bad efforts on the field.
They may work tirelessly on the training ground. The players may put in extra hours in the gym to attain elasticity. But in the end, it all matters how safe your hands are when the ball is up in the air. You feel the heat of the crowd, waiting for your palms to complete the wicket. But those palms have been buttery for Indians, to say the least.
Among all Super 8 teams, India have the worst catching record. Teams like Pakistan and Sri Lanka are always considered inferior in fielding standards. But India have attained a new low. This really begs the question – does having a young team really translate to a better fielding unit?
Worst catching efficiency (among Super 8 teams)
| Team | Catching Efficiency |
|---|---|
| England | 87.2% |
| Zimbabwe | 85.4% |
| West Indies | 84.6% |
| New Zealand | 83.9% |
| Pakistan | 83.3% |
| South Africa | 81.1% |
| Sri Lanka | 77.8% |
| India | 72.7% |
Unfortunately for India, there aren’t many gun fielders in the lineup. You always have to keep the likes of Bumrah, Arshdeep and Chakaravarthy away from hotspots. Then there’s Ishan Kishan, who is predominantly a keeper. Shivam Dube, the big man, is a safe catcher but lacks agility. The biggest surprise, however, is Abhishek Sharma, who should ideally not be dropping as many catches as he has been.
The semi-finals and finals are known for headlining those “what if” moments. India would not want to end up on the receiving end due to their poor fielding.
Individual brilliances can’t win you all games
Suryakumar Yadav against the USA. Ishan Kishan against Pakistan. Shivam Dube against the Netherlands. Bumrah against South Africa and now Sanju Samson against the West Indies. India have heavily relied on individual performances throughout this T20 World Cup. You may go deep with this run of luck but you generally tend to lose tournaments due to this. Just ask Australia, who desperately needed their entire team to click in the latter half of the ODI World Cup 2023.
For the storyline, it sounds good that India can have one guy in every game who raises his hand to perform. But when you have a power-packed team filled with T20 bonanza, why do you need just one individual to step up? The main problem has been the inconsistencies of India’s top four. If we keep aside the Zimbabwe game, they haven’t clicked together at all.
On grounds like Mumbai and Ahmedabad, India would need more consistency.
Suryakumar Yadav’s SKY is still far away
Suryakumar Yadav started the tournament with an insane innings. India were staring down the barrel of a gun against America, who reduced India to 77/6. The entire Wankhede Stadium went silent before the local lad steered away a magical 49-ball 84*. But what about following that innings?
In the next 5 of his 6 innings, Suryakumar’s strike rate read 92, 110, 121, 81, and 112. The only time he showed his real self was during his 13-ball 33 against the Chevrons. Despite that innings, his overall SR for this tournament clocks in at 135.9. Is he the same man who racked up 717 runs at 168 SR at IPL 2025?
Teams have lined Suryakumar with spin. He has struggled to find timing against slower balls, especially left-arm spinners. Not just that, he has been slow to get off the blocks too, with his strike rate being just 118 in first ten balls. According to him, he may not be out of form. That may still hold true but his mojo has died down. The peak has gone past him but the kind of talent he is, Suryakumar can still be a match-winner.
No one pierces through gaps like him. That’s his X-factor. But the oppositions have now found out that if you block his flick shot behind the stumps, SKY gets compressed.
Where’s the real Abhishek Sharma?
Now, the biggest shocker of the tournament. Abhishek Sharma. Abhishek was in prime form leading into the tournament. He never had a dip like the one that he is enduring right now. Leading into the tournament and in a period of 24 games, he hammered 1029 runs at a strike rate of almost 200 and at an average of 45. Guess what his stats are in his last 8 games? Well, he has managed just 110 runs at a horrible average of 13.75. That tally includes 4 ducks, three of which came at the start of the T20 World Cup 2026.
The laws of averages have certainly caught up with Abhishek. He was scoring runs for fun and now even a single boundary comes as a sign of relief. He looks extremely short of confidence. The oppositions have started to bowl more on his stumps, denying Abhishek the room to free his arms. He got out to a poor ball against the Windies. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein bowled a short-length delivery and Abhishek skied it up. A less diffident version of Abhishek would’ve sent it to the second tier.
Fortunately, there are no technical issues with him. It is all mental. And that can resolve in a matter of balls. He had a much-needed fifty against Zimbabwe but didn’t follow it up with another confidence-boosting innings. Perhaps the dropped catches were on his mind against the Caribbean outfit.
Cricket
Reasons why India can fail to win the T20 World Cup 2026
