It would be a fair assessment of the recently concluded IND vs AUS T20I series, that despite the 2-1 win for the visitors, there are new questions that have emerged, instead of getting answers for the older issues. Before the series began, the form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav was the big talking point, which still has not been resolved, and India’s quest to get the team combination right, also stays put.
10 Matches Left for Team India
Now, newer issues have emerged. Sanju Samson, who was demoted in the batting order, since the Asia Cup, was axed from the XI, with Jitesh Sharma taking his place. Also, if and when Hardik Pandya comes back, does Shivam Dube stay in the XI, and does Nitish Kumar Reddy make it to the team at all, if these two are already there.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is early next year, and Team India have only 10 matches to go before that — 5 each vs South Africa and New Zealand. So, the team is far from ready to defend their crown, and so thinks head coach Gautam Gambhir, who feels that the target is yet to be achieved.
T20 World Cup Early Next Year
“Our dressing room has been very transparent and honest, and we aim to maintain that. I think we’re still not at our target for the T20 World Cup. Hopefully, the players understand the importance of being fit. We have three months left to reach where we need to be,” Gautam Gambhir said in a video posted by BCCI on X.
He also said, that to test players, they need to be thrown in to the deep end, and rise. Similar to what new Test skipper Shubman Gill had achieved in England, scoring over 700 runs. “Throw players into the deep end, it’s as simple as that. We did the same with Shubman Gill when he was named Test captain,” he said.
Meanwhile, India play their next T20I on December 9 against SA, while the series would culminate on December 19.
