The India National Cricket Team is heading into the T20 World Cup 2026 with a powerful mix of firepower and balance, and the well-known commentator Aakash Chopra believes that bowling could be the biggest weapon for the Men in Blue in their title defense.
The Men in Blue are placed in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2026, and their campaign will kick off on Saturday, February 7, against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Varun Chakaravarthy overtakes Jasprit Bumrah as India’s bowling trump card
Ahead of the tournament opener, Aakash Chopra has rated India’s bowling attack as one of the strongest in the T20 World Cup 2026 but mentioned Jasprit Bumrah, who is widely seen as the best bowler in world cricket across all formats, is no longer the number one bowler.
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The former Indian batter has reckoned that Varun Chakaravarthy, who currently sits at the top of the ICC T20I bowling rankings, will give the team a major edge in the middle overs. Adding to the threat is Arshdeep Singh, who will be a reliable option at the start and death.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel, “The world’s No. 1 T20I bowler is here, and that’s not Bumrah, that’s Varun Chakaravarthy. We have him, and along with him, Jasprit Bumrah is there. That makes it your eight-over bank. Then you have Arshdeep Singh, who has taken the most T20I wickets for India.”
Aakash Chopra hails India’s all-round strength
The cricket pandit also pointed out that the defending champions are equally well-covered in the all-rounder department. Aakash Chopra hailed Axar Patel as an “incredible all-rounder” for offering India control with both bat and ball, while he described Hardik Pandya as the “best all-rounder in the world,” saying he adds match-winning impact and experience.
He also pointed out how Shivam Dube has grown into a dependable option, especially with his improved bowling and power-hitting. Batting depth is another major strength for the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian cricket team at the showpiece event.
Why India’s batting line-up should scare rivals
Chopra noted that the Men in Blue have genuine batting strength all the way down to No. 8. The Indian batting order is packed with explosive names like Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, and Axar Patel.
And the commentator has called this batting line-up a “serious batting powerhouse” and mentioned that this depth allows the team to play fearless cricket in the format.
Aakash Chopra added, “If we talk about batting depth, you have a proper batter available till No. 8. If we actually see that slot, it’s Axar Patel’s. Axar Patel batting at No. 8 is a delight. How is that even possible? But India is able to do that, and in that too, all batters hit sixes and play a different brand of cricket. They are absolutely fearless and carefree. Whoever comes hits.”
With world-class bowlers, quality all-rounders, and an aggressive batting lineup, the former cricketer feels India is well-prepared to defend their T20 World Cup crown on home soil.
