New Delhi, Feb 20 (NationPress) Former Indian batsman and analyst Sanjay Bangar asserts that the Indian cricket squad has not yet reached their full potential in the current ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. While India has maintained an unbeaten streak during the group stages, Bangar points out that their performance has been characterized by steadiness rather than overwhelming dominance. He emphasizes that the most exciting part is still ahead, as the team gears up for the more challenging stages of the tournament.

“It’s been a consistent beginning. Not exactly the kind of performance we anticipated, as expectations were incredibly high. India has not completely overpowered their opponents in these matches, which may suggest that they are not performing at their peak. However, the silver lining is that their best cricket is yet to be displayed,” Bangar conveyed to Jio Hotstar.

“Moreover, a noteworthy aspect is that all players have had opportunities to play in the starting lineup, which is beneficial should any injury issues arise later in the tournament. All players are prepared for competition. If there is one area they need to enhance, it would be fielding, as we witnessed a few dropped catches against Pakistan and the Netherlands,” he added.

India is placed in a challenging group alongside 2024 runners-up South Africa, two-time champions West Indies, and Zimbabwe.

As the unbeaten Indian team prepares to confront formidable opponents in the next phase, Bangar has identified three players who he believes will be pivotal to India’s success in this T20 World Cup.

“Looking ahead, three players will be crucial for India’s progress in this tournament. First is Ishan Kishan, whose current form is vital, especially with Abhishek Sharma struggling for runs. Kishan must provide explosive starts; he is player number one,” he mentioned.

“The second key player is Suryakumar Yadav, who has consistently scored runs while understanding match situations. Lastly, Jasprit Bumrah is crucial because while everyone is focusing on the spin strength of the Indian team, I believe Bumrah will be essential in tight situations as far as bowling is concerned,” he concluded.

India will kick off their Super 8s campaign on Sunday against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Their next encounter will be against Zimbabwe on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, followed by a final Super 8s match against the West Indies on March 1 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.