Former Indian cricketer flags death bowling concerns ahead of India’s T20 World Cup campaign

As India prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, former wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik emphasised that, despite the team’s strong record leading into the tournament, there are concerns regarding death bowling. Karthik pointed out that India have leaned heavily on spinners in recent matches, which could present challenges.

The T20 World Cup campaign begins for India against the USA on February 7, and they have been placed in Group A with Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands. While India’s spinners Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel have impressed, Arshdeep Singh remains one of the few pacers among the country’s top bowlers with 31 wickets at an impressive average.

India’s reliance on spinners has proven successful, with the team not losing a series since their T20 World Cup victory. From 36 matches, they have claimed 27 wins, lost just five, and recorded two ties and a no result. Their success was further highlighted by winning the Asia Cup last year, a tournament played in spin-friendly UAE conditions.

During his appearance on JioStar’s The Experts’ View, Karthik reflected on India’s fantastic record in T20s, but highlighted that matches in this format are never guaranteed.

“The Indian team is in excellent form at the moment. They’ve won 29 out of 36 T20 matches since the World Cup, which is an extraordinary achievement. In a format like T20, where surprises are common, such consistency is remarkable. Winning 29 out of 36 matches is no easy feat and truly reflects the strength of the team. They also delivered an outstanding performance in the recent Asia Cup, where they triumphed over Pakistan, beating them three times, including the final,” he said.

“If you examine the strength of this group, you have India, Pakistan, and then three associate nations still working to establish themselves at the international level. Naturally, you would expect India or Pakistan to beat them, but that’s the beauty of this format – no game can be taken lightly. If you lose the toss and are forced to bowl, suddenly the challenge becomes real, especially towards the end of the innings. To defend successfully under dew, you need to set an above-par total. So, I would say India are in a very strong position,” he added.

“Death bowling is a concern, no doubt. It’s a challenge because of how they set up their playing eleven. In subcontinent conditions, they’ve gone with Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik (Pandya) as the second pacer, and Shivam Dube as the third, while relying heavily on their spinners. But when the game goes deep, especially in a situation where they’re defending a total, the backend of the innings can become a real challenge,” he concluded.

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