Two years to go, plenty to decide: India’s big questions ahead of the 2028 T20 World Cup

Indore: The 2028 T20 World Cup is still more than two years away. India have a valuable window to experiment before settling on the squad best suited to conditions in Australia and New Zealand, where they will defend their T20 crown. The extended build-up presents opportunities for established players looking to cement their places and those on the fringes to force their way into the side.With the focus likely to shift soon towards next year’s ODI World Cup, the current stretch of T20 cricket allows the team management to assess its depth and identify long-term options. The five-match series against the West Indies is followed by a tour of New Zealand from Oct 22, giving India ample scope to rotate personnel and evaluate talent.Abhishek Sharma’s place at the top currently appears secure, but the same cannot be said of his opening partner, Sanju Samson, who continues to face scrutiny every time he walks out to bat. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has strengthened his case with a string of impressive performances, while Yashasvi Jaiswal, already a proven T20 performer, is adding wicketkeeping to his skill set in a bid to break into both white-ball teams.Samson, however, reminded everyone of his quality with a blistering 41-ball 82 in the second T20I against the West Indies, buying himself valuable breathing space. Further down the order, Tilak Varma has gradually embraced the middle-order role he initially resisted after the 2026 T20 World Cup. The left-hander has impressed with impactful cameos, including an unbeaten 22-ball 51 in the Asian Games final against Pakistan and an unbeaten 18-ball 44 in Ranchi. Most significantly, he has answered questions over his strike rate by scoring at a far more aggressive tempo.The contest for the seam-bowling allrounder’s slot could be one of the most intriguing. If Hardik Pandya stays fit, only one of Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy may find room in the final squad. Reddy offers greater value with the ball, while his batting continues to progress despite him sitting out the current series.Among the pacers, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana appear to be the front-runners, but the race for supporting roles remains wide open. Mayank Yadav impressed with his pace and aggression, while Prince Yadav awaits his chance. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s expected return for the New Zealand series adds another interesting layer to the competition.In the spin department, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar appear well placed because of their all-round value, while Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi remain firmly in contention.Another run-fest on the cardsWhile Gautam Gambhir criticised the pitches used earlier in the series and warned that bowlers’ careers could suffer on such batter-friendly surfaces, the third T20I is unlikely to offer them much relief. The Ranchi wicket became significantly easier to bat on under lights, as dew made life difficult for bowlers during the West Indies’ successful chase of 250.Similar conditions are expected at Indore’s Holkar Stadium, traditionally one of India’s most batting-friendly venues. With short boundaries and heavy evening dew forecast, another high-scoring encounter appears likely. The ground has already produced one 400-plus and three 330-plus ODI totals, while teams have crossed 220 twice in T20 Internationals.India reached Indore on Saturday afternoon, after which Gambhir and members of the support staff inspected the pitch and briefly interacted with the ground staff. All signs point towards another belter.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.