When India clinched the T20 World Cup 2024, they ended a 17-year ICC title drought and began a bold new era in Indian T20 cricket under head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav. The Men in Blue didn’t just take fearlessness and unselfishness to the next level; they have developed the team into an invincible force, as India have not lost a single T20I series since then. With only 10 days left for the T20 World Cup 2026, India bowling coach Morne Morkel revealed the strategic rationale behind constant changes in player roles, which have started to pay dividends.
Speaking ahead of the IND vs NZ 4th T20I, Morne Morkel explained that India’s preparation focuses less on fixed roles and keeps the opposition guessing.
“Leading into the World Cup, was to look at different combinations. We don’t want teams to have set plans against us. I think at the moment, we’re doing that quite well. If teams start to plan against us, they don’t know where we are going to fit and how we’re going to play our cards. For us, it is important to give guys that opportunity in that role, to get comfortable in those roles. Because of the conditions we might face on the day, we’ll go up with different game plans,” explained Morne Morkel.
This highlights why the team management kept making some eye-raising changes in the playing XIs, use of overs of bowlers and batting positions. Despite this, India hasn’t lost a single series, including the Asia Cup 2025, since their 2024 victory, winning 22 of their last 27 matches.
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India’s batting order has become more adaptable as Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and even Suryakumar Yadav have batted in various positions over the past 18 months. This allowed them to counter-match-ups, making it comfortable for them in potential batting collapses, leaving the opposition guessing who will be the next batter to come.
While most teams look for one standout bowler, India have three. Jasprit Bumrah leads the fast bowlers, while Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy form a diverse spin attack, with Axar Patel adding depth. While Varun has emerged as the leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket for India and currently ranks no. 1 in ICC rankings, Kuldeep’s chinaman spin brings rarity. Axar’s control on his line and length and cramp batters make it a threatening trio.
In the last five years, India have heavily relied on Hardik Pandya to do the finishing job. But the team management has consistently put Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube in similar situations and developed them as reliable finisher options, reducing pressure from Hardik Pandya and bringing flexibility.
One of the major things they have brought is the development of part-time bowlers. Abhishek Sharma, Dube, and even batters like Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh have been entrusted with bowling overs, allowing the captain to be strategically smart.
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