NEW DELHI: Without a doubt, Jasprit Bumrah is India's go-to bowler across formats. The pace spearhead has repeatedly proven that his knack for taking wickets at crucial moments sets him apart from others.

However, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin offers a different perspective, suggesting that when India defends their T20 World Cup title at home next year, their hopes will no longer rest solely on Bumrah. Instead, he believes two emerging names will now dictate how opposition teams plan against India.

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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin identified Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy as the key players that opposing teams will need to neutralise if they hope to prevent India from winning back-to-back T20 World Cups.

"If any team wants to win the T20 World Cup in India, they will have to master two factors. I was saying until now that handling Jasprit Bumrah. But I will say right now, the way I have seen Tim David handle Varun Chakravarthy, I am thinking teams will gun for Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy if they have to get past India," Ashwin said.

Ashwin's assessment comes off the back of the recently concluded T20I series in Australia. Abhishek has already compelled teams to rethink their new-ball strategies with his aggressive powerplay hitting, while Varun Chakravarthy's deceptive trajectory, angles, and variations have forced teams to plan specific match-ups in the middle overs.

"Against Abhishek Sharma, they will see this plan Australia has used against him in this series, and they will imbibe that. Whoever is coming to the World Cup will prepare similarly against Varun Chakaravarthy because that will give them the leverage in that World Cup," he added.

Abhishek once again emerged as the standout performer for India, finishing the series as the leading run-getter with 163 runs in five innings, including a half-century.

For his consistent brilliance with the bat, the top-ranked T20I batter was named Player of the Series - his second consecutive honour, having earlier been adjudged Player of the Tournament during India's triumphant Asia Cup campaign in September this year.