India captain Suryakumar Yadav said that the team had already started planning for the 2026 T20 World Cup after winning the title in 2024. Surya is set to lead India against South Africa, the team they had beaten in the 2024 World Cup final to end their ICC Trophy draught, in a 5-match T20I series set to kickstart from Cuttack on Tuesday.
“Our 2026 T20 World Cup preparation began right after we won the T20 World Cup in 2024… Our preparation is similar. The preparation started after the T20 World Cup 2024 got over. Since then, we have been trying new things and everything is working for us,” Surya said on Monday.
“I feel in the last 5-6 series which we have played, we have tried and played with a similar combination. We have not changed too much… Everything is going well. We wanted to continue the same way,” he added.
Talking about allrounder Hardik Pandya who returns to the India setup after missing the Asia Cup final due to injury, Surya said that the Mumbai Indians captain adds much-needed balance to the team.
“I think what you saw in the Asia Cup also, when he was bowling the new ball, he opened a lot of options, lot of combinations for us with respect to playing XI. That’s what he brings to the table. His experience, the way he has done really well in all the matches, all good games also, all bigger games in ICC events. I think that experience will count a lot. His presence will definitely give a good balance to the side,” he said.
The captain also added that both Hardik and Shubman Gill were fit. Gill had to sit out the Guwahati Test as well as the recent ODI series vs South Africa due to a neck injury and has been named in the T20I squad for the series vs the Proteas.
The T20I series begins in Cuttack on December 9, followed by the second match in New Chandigarh on December 11. The third match is scheduled for December 14 at Dharamsala and the 4th one will take place in Lucknow on December 17. The last and final match of the series will take place in Ahmedabad on December 19.
