"They Will Miss Virat And Rohit" – Anil Kumble’s Honest Take On India’s T20 World Cup 2026 Squad

Anil Kumble believes India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad lacks the experience of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He rates the 2024 team slightly stronger, while Cheteshwar Pujara highlights missing clarity in the current combination.

India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 has already sparked debate, with former captain Anil Kumble offering a blunt assessment. He believes the defending champions will miss the presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two stalwarts who played crucial roles in India’s triumph two years ago.

The tournament will be staged in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands and the United States of America.

Speaking on a television discussion, Kumble was asked to compare the current squad with the victorious 2024 side. He responded that while balance exists in the new team, the absence of Kohli and Rohit’s experience is significant. According to him, the 2024 team should be rated about ten percent stronger, though he acknowledged the 2026 squad remains close in quality.

Kumble stressed the importance of clutch moments, recalling how Kohli and Axar Patel combined in the 2024 final against South Africa. Kohli’s 76 and Patel’s 47 rescued India from 34/3, setting up a narrow seven‑run win. He suggested that Suryakumar Yadav will need to step up in similar situations, not only with form but also with leadership in decisive passages of play.

Cheteshwar Pujara, also part of the discussion, disagreed with the notion that the 2026 squad is better. He argued that clarity is missing in the current setup, particularly regarding bowling combinations. Pujara questioned whether India will rely on a third specialist seamer or spread the workload among all‑rounders. He emphasized that flexibility is useful in T20 cricket, but clarity in roles is more essential and currently lacking.

India’s likely bowling attack features Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube. Options such as Kuldeep Yadav or Harshit Rana could be added depending on whether spin or pace depth is prioritized.