New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) With 50 days remaining for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 to get underway in India and Sri Lanka, anticipation around how the defending champions campaign would pan out has intensified. Defending champions India are scheduled to announce their squad at the BCCI HQ in Mumbai on Saturday afternoon, a move that is expected to set the tone for their title defence.

Former India players Irfan Pathan and Robin Uthappa, who were a part of the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning side in South Africa, have identified Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy as key figures in India's bid to retain their title.

"Abhishek Sharma is actually going out there and scaring the opposition's new ball bowlers, which is very important to put them on the back foot. I actually said it recently as well - he's doing the same role as the someone who's actually bowling with the new ball, taking the early wicket in the first or second over. When you do that, you're actually putting your team ahead of the other team.

"This is exactly what Abhishek Sharma is doing. So if he does that, what he has done so far, especially after the World Cup, which was there one and a half years ago in the West Indies - if he does the same thing, what he's been doing, I think we'll be fine. There'll be some innings he might actually take the game away from the opposition in the first 6-7 overs. That's the kind of role he's playing and it will be very crucial," said Pathan, while replying to a query from IANS, on the JioStar Press Room show.

Since July 2024, Abhishek has easily filled in the opener’s void left by Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format after the T20 World Cup triumph. In 32 games, Abhishek’s explosive batting has fetched him 1081 runs at an average of 36.03 and high strike rate of 188.98, including hitting two centuries and six fifties.

On Chakaravarthy, who’s picked 49 wickets in 26 games since his return to the Indian team in late 2024, JioStar expert Pathan highlighted the spinner's mental fortitude being a key element following his comeback from a disappointing 2021 T20 World Cup campaign.

"Varun Chakaravarthy, apart from his skill, confidence, and his role which he plays in the power play as well as in the middle overs, his mindset to come back after a setback, becomes very crucial at a big stage.

“If you remember in 2021, he was in the World Cup, he went astray, then he came back and he actually worked on his bowling, he added the variations. But the most important thing he's actually added into his armoury, that's his mindset - to make a comeback. So these two guys will be playing a very, very important role apart from Jasprit Bumrah," he added.

On the other hand, Uthappa, who’s closely followed the Indian team due to his work as a JioStar expert, acknowledged the pressure on both players will be present during the marquee event, but expressed confidence in their ability to handle the heightened expectations.

"Obviously, there's going to be a lot of pressure on them. I think they're going to feel the fact that a lot of the burden lies on them. But the wonderful thing that we've seen over the last couple of years is that both of them have handled that pressure exceptionally well. They have thrived under that expectation that we have from both of them individually," he said.

At the same time, Uthappa pointed to Chakaravarthy's technical evolution making him completely different from his 2021 version. "What's wonderful to watch about someone like Varun Chakaravarthy is that he's actually worked on his bowling over the last couple of years. Especially after 2021, he went from being a side-spin bowler to an over-spin bowler.

“He's gotten really accurate with his lengths and actually got a second line of defence even if those lengths don't work to a particular batsman on that particular day. So it feels like he's prepared really, really well and I think he just needs to go out there and execute well. For the most part of it, I think he's going to do really, really well. Having said that, there will be other bowlers who will need to support him.

Uthappa also noted that India’s other bowlers, particularly pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, will have to support an in-form Chakaravarthy through tight spells. “I think the start of the innings becomes very crucial. The likes of Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh have to continue to shine like they have been.

“I think (for) Arshdeep a little bit more with the new ball as the pressure will be on him or the expectation will be on him to get wickets in that first couple of overs which he's done so often for us. So it looks like India's bowling is in really, really, really good stead," he said.

Regarding Abhishek, Uthappa observed that he has responded well to pressure from a fluctuating Indian batting order and adjusted swiftly to tactics from South Africa’s bowlers in the ongoing T20I series. "Right now the batting, given the fact that a moving batting order is there, I think is putting a little bit of pressure on Abhishek Sharma. But I think he's responding well.

“We've seen in this series when the South African bowlers try to tie him up bowling that leg and middle line to him, and they bowl more back of the length. The one game he took to adjust, but I think as soon as he figured out a solution for it, he came out with all guns blazing and has been at his dominating best. We just hope and pray that his form continues to stay alive through this time over the next three months at least," he concluded.

--IANS

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