297/6. 283/1. 271/5. 247/9. 238/7. 234/2. 231/5.
Seven of the 13 highest totals for India in the T20I format have come under Gautam Gambhir’s coaching. In the last year and a half, India has time and again teased its batting prowess, promising a template to beat teams in global tournaments like the T20 World Cup.
It wasn’t said in so many words, but the score mentioned above – that’s cricket’s legacy. It probably sounds better when you read it in José Mourinho’s voice. And why not? Under Gambhir, the world champions from India have not only been trying to prove that they are the defending champions, they have been trying to prove that they are at least five years ahead of the rest of the world teams.
Indian wicketkeepers score T20I centuries for India:
1. Sanju Samson – 111 runs against Bangladesh
2. Sanju Samson – 107 runs against South Africa
3. Sanju Samson – 109* runs against South Africa
End of list. pic.twitter.com/uaR8VWrK6E
— Mahi Patel (@Mahi_Patel_07) January 21, 2026
Under Gambhir, India have not lost a single T20I series – a record that will surely send chills down the spine of opposition teams coming into the T20 World Cup. And yet, after teasing fans with Dhurandhar-like action for over a year and a half, India has come back to its senses.
Instead of mind-numbing bowling, India have reverted to a slower and steadier approach in the T20 World Cup.
In the ongoing edition, India have crossed the 200 mark only once — against associate nation Namibia, who don’t really have much experience playing under lights. Compared to the rest, India’s totals are 161/9 (vs USA), 175/7 (vs Pakistan) and 193/6 (vs Netherlands).
IND vs NED T20 WORLD CUP 2026: UPDATE | SCORECARD
So what has gone wrong in India in the last few weeks? Is India under pressure for a favorite brand? Or are they just not in the groove yet in this T20 World Cup?
Let’s try to break it down.
THE DESPAIR OF SURYAKUMARA YADAV
We have to start from the very beginning. Which is the likeness of Suryakumar Yadav.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav endured a terrible run of form in the T20 World Cup. He hasn’t been between runs in international cricket for almost a year, but has managed to hold on thanks to India’s batting line-up and sensational performances from the opening matches.
Things turned slightly upside down when India broke the successful pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson to force Shubman Gill. This affected the rhythm of the team and Suryakumar’s fight dragged on longer than expected.
Just before the World Cup, better sense prevailed and Gill dropped out. But by then the focus was on the woefully out-of-form Indian captain, who refused to admit he was struggling with the bat.
Suryakumar has always maintained that he ran out of runs, not form.
But when he pushed, Surya changed the batting template.
The number of risky shots in his first 10 balls has reduced. He started playing down the ground, getting the look inside and building innings. This meant that Surya needed time to settle, which in turn reduced India’s run volume – although it gave the side more stability.
Therefore, those lofty totals of 280 and 290 have fallen slightly.
Veteran Sunil Gavaskar praised this updated template and said the skipper has done the right thing. And couldn’t agree more.
T20 WORLD CUP FIELD
India’s batting dominance has largely come on the surfaces of bilateral series. However, the T20 World Cup wickets offered seam, spin and plenty of help for the bowlers.
In fact, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya publicly called for flatter wickets during the World Cup.
“The two pitches against each other were not friendly to the batsmen. The wicket held a bit today. You just have to adapt and let your skills work. We would like a bit flatter wickets,” said Hardik Pandya after the Namibia match.
However, there may be a logic to the management of World Cup pitches. Unlike the Indian Premier League, which is designed to produce batting shootouts, the World Cup’s slightly tacky pitches reduce the gap between teams at opposite ends of the spectrum.
On a batsman-friendly wicket, the US could never realistically scare India. On a flat track, Zimbabwe had no chance against Australia.
Good goals make for good competition. And that’s what the ICC wants – the lower teams putting pressure on the higher sides. It makes for better cricket. It contributes to better viewership.
OPENING GOD
Now for the most obvious of all.
Abhishek Sharma’s struggles with the bat forced the Indian middle order to count before batting. Abhishek registered three straight ducks in the T20 World Cup, which may have made batsmen watching him think that swashbuckling might not be the way to go on these pitches.
Even Ishan Kishan’s blistering 77 against Pakistan saw the batter taking his time against the spinners. It is perhaps another matter entirely that Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan bowled him badly, allowing him to take a tongs at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
When the openers don’t set the tone, the middle order adapts. That’s natural.
WHAT IS HERITAGE CRICKET?
However, the lack of massive scores does not mean that India are batting poorly.
For cricket enthusiasts, totals of 175-180 can mean better competition. It’s a better watch, especially in a long tournament.
And mind you, India won two of their matches by huge margins. They beat Namibia by 93 runs in Delhi and Pakistan by 61 runs in Colombo – showing how superior they were with the bat, even in tough conditions.
And isn’t that cricket’s legacy?
Gautam Gambhir, since he took charge, has made the Indian batting adaptable. On flat tracks, this was evident in the 290s and 280s. On challenging surfaces, this has been converted to 190 and 180 instead of being limited to 150 and 160 recently.
Different numbers. Same authority.
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– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
February 19, 2026