T20 World Cup: MS Dhoni calls India 'most dangerous' team
What's the story
Former skipper MS Dhoni has backed India as one of the most dangerous teams in the upcoming Men's ICC T20 World Cup. The tournament will begin on Saturday with India facing the United States at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Under Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy, India are coming off a 4-1 T20I series win over New Zealand. Notably, Suryakumar is yet to lose a bilateral T20I series as captain.
Team strengths
Dhoni on India's firepower
Dhoni emphasized the importance of experience in T20 cricket, saying, "It's one of the most dangerous teams." He praised the squad's ability to handle pressure situations and said that each player has been in their respective roles for a considerable time. This depth of experience is what makes India such a formidable team in this format.
Dew dilemma
Dew could play a crucial role, feels Dhoni
Despite his confidence in the team's capabilities, Dhoni expressed concern over the impact of dew on T20 matches. He said, "What worries me again, I hate dew. Dew changes a lot of things." The former captain stressed that dew can make tosses crucial and change match dynamics significantly. Notably, dew played a role in India's defeat to the West Indies in the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final. Dhoni led the Men in Blue in that campaign.
Format challenges
Unpredictability of T20 cricket
Dhoni also highlighted the inherent unpredictability of T20 cricket, where any team can beat another on a given day. He said, "The problem is when some of your players have a day off, and somebody from the opposition has a brilliant day." Dhoni, hailed as one of the greatest captains, has been at the forefront several times during his playing career. In fact, he led India to their maiden T20 World Cup title in the inaugural edition (2007).
Squad
India's squad for T20 WC 2026
India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 is a perfect blend of youth and experience. They were the first side to announce their 15-member squad for the global event. Full squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Rinku Singh.
Records
India eye these records
Hosting the tournament gives India a golden opportunity to defend their title in front of passionate home crowds. This is only the second time India will get a chance to defend the T20 World Cup, having missed out after winning the inaugural edition. Notably, no team has been able to defend its T20 WC title so far. India also have a chance to become the first home side to win the tournament.