Watch India’s bid to repeat history at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026, as India take on the USA today, at 7:00 PM, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India Vs USA at the Wankhede Stadium
Defending champions India commence their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 campaign against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium. Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Game Plan’, JioStar expert Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts on why India are the firm favourites, Abhishek Sharma and Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s batting form and the probable playing eleven.
Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Game Plan’, JioStar expert Aakash Chopra elaborated on Team India being firm favourites:
“India will definitely start as firm favourites because India won the title undefeated in the USA and West Indies last time around. Everyone thought that was unthinkable, almost impossible, in this format. Since then, India hasn’t dropped a single series. Once again, that is something you don’t associate with the T20 format, because this format almost demands inconsistency. It demands some kind of failure every now and then, but this team has rewritten the rules of the game in that respect. So, there will be pressure, but pressure is a privilege. Wear it with pride.”
On Abhishek Sharma’s method to the madness at the top of the order:
“Abhishek Sharma is hitting good balls for six. Anybody who can hit sixes through that off-side region, basically, is not muscling the ball, he’s timing it. And then he’s forcing bowlers to come close to him, and through the on-side with fewer fielders inside the circle. These are easy pickings, but it all gets set up when he starts dismantling and destroying the opposition. When they’re actually bowling good lines and good lengths, that outside off channel is where he’s absolutely destructive, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026.
If you were to look at his back leg, generally it is supposed to be parallel to the crease, where your point fielder is, if you want to play through the offside region. When you’re going on the back foot, his is pointing towards cover. The moment he does that, the shoulders open up and he gets access to the entire offside area. That may have a bit of a downfall once in a while, but currently, the way he’s batting, he’s able to access that area better than anybody else. You can just keep focusing on that toe, it is never pointing towards point, it’s always through that cover region.”
On Captain Suryakumar Yadav finding form at the right time:
“I think Suryakumar Yadav spent a lot of time on the pitch in the New Zealand series. You’ll find a lot of deliveries being played along the ground, allowing himself some amount of time. Again, on the drive, something he was guilty of earlier, playing in the air and getting dismissed. But once he was set, he took Zak Foulkes to the cleaners. Eventually, now, you can say with a lot of confidence that the guy is back in form. There is no problem with runs or form anymore. He’s got both.”
On Varun Chakaravarthy’s brilliant form since his return to India’s white-ball team:
“It feels like Varun Chakaravarthy is playing the T20 World Cup for the first time, even though he isn’t, because he’s a completely different bowler now. Nobody has been able to read him. I think what has changed since the last time he played the World Cup in Dubai is his accuracy, his ability to finish within the stumps, the variation in pace, and overall precision. That has gone north and improved a lot. That’s his key way of dismissing batters. Those wide deliveries, the pulsating wide balls, are the ones where batters have been dismissed as well, either hitting the stumps or clipping the top of the stumps.”
On India’s probable playing eleven for the opening game against the USA:
“Let’s address the elephant in the room. I’m opening with Ishan Kishan in the first game, with Abhishek Sharma alongside him. At three, we have Tilak Varma, followed by Captain Suryakumar Yadav. After Surya, we have Dube, then Hardik, and the reliable Rinku. The batting order is pretty flexible; that’s not a problem. Among the bowlers, Varun Chakaravarthy comes in, Arshdeep Singh; you can’t leave those two out. Jasprit Bumrah is in. Vice-captain has to be picked, of course, so Axar Patel comes in. You’ve got lots of left-handers, batting depth till eight, and six bowling options. This is the team.”
