Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has identified Varun Chakravarthy and Abhishek Sharma as India's two most crucial assets for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, surprisingly overlooking star pacer Jasprit Bumrah and captain Suryakumar Yadav. The mega tournament is scheduled to take place from February 7 to March 8. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin explained that opposition teams will focus their strategies on neutralizing these two players if they want to defeat India. He observed how Australia has already started targeting Abhishek Sharma in the ongoing T20I series and noted that teams will likely adopt similar tactics against Chakravarthy. India is currently leading the five-match series against Australia 2-1, with the series decider set for Brisbane on Saturday, November 8.
Chakravarthy and Abhishek emerge as key targets for opponents
Ashwin emphasized that any team aiming to win the T20 World Cup in India must master countering Varun Chakravarthy and Abhishek Sharma. He referenced how Australia's Tim David handled Chakravarthy during the ongoing series, suggesting other nations will study and replicate these approaches. Abhishek's standout performance came in the Melbourne T20I, where he scored 68 off 37 balls despite India's overall batting struggles. In the same match, Chakravarthy delivered an exceptional spell, taking two wickets while conceding just 23 runs in four overs. Ashwin believes mastering strategies against these two players will provide crucial leverage for teams competing in the World Cup.
Source: Link