Watching this Indian cricket team operate at its very best has been nothing short of compelling. What we are seeing right now is a team executing a template that other sides will hope to replicate. The demolition of a high-quality New Zealand unit, coming immediately after an outstanding ODI series, underlines just how quickly India have managed to turn things around. The speed of that transformation is astonishing and speaks volumes about the depth, balance, and clarity within this T20 side.
Even though the final of the T20 World Cup 2026 is still some distance away, it is difficult to imagine India not being there. It is equally difficult to argue against them being the outright favourites to lift the trophy. That said, it is important not to get carried away. The more useful question is not how good India are—but rather, what opposition sides, particularly New Zealand, can realistically do to disrupt this juggernaut and get back to winning ways.
The obvious starting point is India’s top order. Containing it is the key challenge, and that is easier said than done. Abhishek Sharma, in particular, has been outstanding. At the moment, he looks close to flawless in terms of how you might try to bowl to him. There is no glaring weakness that immediately stands out.
When England toured last year in that five-match series, there was a theory that Abhishek might be vulnerable to pace, particularly short bowling aimed around the head area. The idea was to push him back and apply pressure. What actually unfolded was quite the opposite. He demoralised England’s pace attack, using their speed intelligently and punishing anything that lacked precision. That theory was quickly dismantled. Pace clearly isn’t an area that can be exposed.
What makes Abhishek even more dangerous is his ability to score all around the wicket. He hits the ball 360 degrees and does so with remarkable control. That makes traditional defensive bowling plans largely ineffective. The only potential avenue New Zealand might explore—and it comes with significant risk—is a more aggressive use of yorkers much earlier in the innings.
Too often, teams reserve yorkers for the death overs, when the innings is coming to its conclusion. You rarely see sides attempting them in the first over or the first few overs. Field restrictions obviously make this challenging, but it is worth considering. Bringing third man and fine leg up, accepting the risk, and targeting the base of the stumps could force batters like Abhishek into attempting shots with the highest degree of difficulty.
Of course, modern batters have answers. They can get down on one knee, ramp, reverse ramp, and exploit fine margins. But that is precisely the point. Against a side in this kind of form, the objective should be to force them into the toughest scoring options available. Make them earn their runs in the most difficult way possible. That has to be at the heart of any bowling discussion when facing an Indian batting lineup operating at this level.
Setting fields straighter, protecting extra cover, potentially having a deep extra cover, long off, long on, and challenging batters to manufacture strokes from awkward lengths might be worth exploring—particularly if there is nothing much in the surface. If there is assistance for the quicker bowlers, then a more conventional top-of-off-stump approach makes sense. But on flat surfaces, innovation and bravery are required, and it is something not enough sides are currently willing to try.
Beyond Abhishek, India’s batting depth is intimidating. The left-right combination running through the order—from the top six right through to seven or eight—creates constant problems for opposition bowlers. It disrupts lines, lengths, and match-ups, and it has been executed extremely well.
I’ve always been a big fan of Tilak Varma. I know he isn’t fully fit and there are clearly some issues to manage, but despite that, I still believe he should be somewhere close to the final XI. His overall quality and impact make him hard to overlook when you’re picking your best possible side.
That said, Ishan Kishan has been exceptional over the last few games, and his performances have made the selection call genuinely difficult. With the form he’s in, leaving him out would be a tough decision, which only underlines the depth and competition within the squad right now.
Suryakumar Yadav returning to form is a massive boost. His presence changes the dynamic entirely and adds a level of inevitability to India’s middle overs. Rinku Singh’s return is also significant. He has always been a high-quality player, and while he is often labelled as a finisher, that role feels increasingly outdated in modern T20 cricket. The game now is about maintaining momentum throughout the innings rather than setting it up for a single phase at the end. Rinku does not just finish—he drives the game forward at high speed, and that is far more valuable.
Hardik’s role at the crease is obviously excellent, and he gives India enormous balance. I’m going to be stubborn here and still feel that India might be able to use Jasprit Bumrah even better, but they are following a method Mumbai Indians have often adopted in the IPL—using him through the middle phase of the innings. And the truth is, it works. That’s a fact. It works, and it works very well.
Having said that, when you’re dealing with a bowler of Bumrah’s quality, the discussion always need to be about whether there is a way to take things to an even higher level. From my perspective as a former opening batter and top-order player, he is the last bowler I would want to face when I’m trying to push the game forward and generate momentum. That is where I see potential for even greater impact.
That said, it’s hard to argue against results. India’s approach is clearly delivering and the evidence backs that up.
India’s bowling resources only reinforce their dominance. The range of spin options—bringing in Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarti, and Kuldeep Yadav — gives them control through the middle overs and flexibility across conditions. This is a team that is exceptionally difficult to break down, both with bat and ball.
For New Zealand, there are still positives to build on. Matt Henry provides genuine pace and the ability to bowl full, which could be crucial. The use of Glenn Phillips higher up the order is encouraging, something that also worked well in the ODIs. Daryl Mitchell dropping down the order in T20s is debatable; he is a form player and arguably could have more impact batting higher.
Devon Conway remains central to New Zealand’s hopes. He understands Indian conditions better than most and, while he hasn’t quite fired in the most recent game, New Zealand need him producing strong starts at the top of the order if they are to compete.
Will New Zealand bounce back with a better performance? Almost certainly. Will they win? That may ultimately depend on how ruthless India choose to be in the remaining games. Given what lies ahead in the T20 World Cup, there is every reason to believe India will be absolutely relentless.
