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Despite being the top-ranked T20I side in the world, Team India still carries a few unresolved issues that need urgent attention ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Under Rohit Sharma and now Suryakumar Yadav, India have looked dominant, winning the 2024 T20 World Cup and excelling in bilateral series, but questionable decision-making continues to hold them back.

With the next T20 World Cup scheduled for February in India and Sri Lanka, these concerns cannot be ignored.

Shubman Gill doesn’t fit the current template

Shubman Gill is undoubtedly a world-class batter, but his place in the T20I setup seems forced. In 2025, he hasn’t scored a single fifty, managing only 263 runs and averaging just 18. His inclusion has also pushed Sanju Samson, who was forming a solid opening pair with Abhishek Sharma, out of position and eventually out of the XI. If a change was needed, a like-for-like replacement would have made more sense.

Axar Patel: A misused floater

Axar Patel’s all-round value is immense, but India’s inconsistent use of him is baffling. He has been sent at No. 3 in one match and pushed down to No. 7 or 8 in another. Promoting him ahead of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma in a 211-run chase against South Africa was hard to justify.

Kuldeep Yadav deserves consistency

Kuldeep Yadav should be a guaranteed starter. With 88 wickets in 49 matches at an economy of 6.83, he remains one of India’s biggest wicket-takers. Yet, he continues to be rotated unnecessarily. In his last 10 matches, he has taken 19 wickets, but still doesn’t play every game.

Nitish Kumar Reddy needs a clear role

Nitish Kumar Reddy has shown promise with 90 runs and three wickets in four matches, but India isn’t using him properly. He has bowled only nine overs in his entire T20I career, despite being a capable seam-bowling all-rounder. He can’t simply be treated as a backup for Hardik Pandya or Shivam Dube.

Who are India’s backup pacers?

India’s pace attack looks vulnerable if Jasprit Bumrah or Arshdeep Singh are unavailable. Harshit Rana seems to be the preferred option for now, but he hasn’t yet developed the wicket-taking threat India needs. With only nine matches left before the World Cup, India must urgently identify and groom their third pacer.

India may be strong, but unless these issues are resolved soon, defending their World Cup title could slip out of reach.