Graeme Smith, the former captain of South Africa, has boldly stated that Indian cricket is the clear favourite to win the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. The renowned cricket player feels that the Indian men’s side should not be taken lightly ahead of the 20-team competition, despite the fact that they are going through an intriguing transition period under coach Gautam Gambhir.
The former South African legend called the present moment of transition between Gambhir and senior players in Indian cricket “fascinating” while speaking at an event. In spite of everything, he thinks India has enough talent and should never be dismissed.
You can never write off India’s talent. It’s a World Cup at home. In Indian cricket, there appears to be an intriguing moment of transition between Gautam (Gambhir) and veteran players, as well as questions about who will come next and how. Additionally, it appears to be in a fascinating location. Thus, it will be interesting to observe how things develop. The Times of India cited him as saying, “But from a talent perspective, India, if they’re not in the last four at least, I’ll be very surprised.”
Therefore, let’s hope that a good World Cup is coming up soon,” Smith remarked.
However, Smith said that he would love to support his motherland by watching South Africa defeat the Men in Blue in the World Cup finals if the two teams play each other again.
Naturally, I want us to defeat India in the championship match (laughs). I believe there is a genuine chance for the team to perform really well if Shukri [Conrad, the head coach of South Africa] and the team can get their combinations correct. Additionally, I believe that there is sufficient skill to play spin in that middle tier, especially in India.
India will launch a campaign against the United States.
For those who are unaware, Rohit Sharma led the Indian side to victory over South Africa in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, while Rahul Dravid served as head coach. Since then, a lot has occurred in Indian cricket, including Suryakumar Yadav replacing Rohit as T20I captain and Gambhir taking over as coach.
The co-hosts, India, will play the United States in Mumbai on February 7 to start their championship defence. They will play a five-match T20I series against New Zealand in the lead-up to the global competition in an attempt to regain their rhythm and form.
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