As the calendar flips to 2026, Indian cricket finds itself at a pivotal moment. From the men’s T20 World Cup title defense to a pivotal season for the women’s World Cup team and the rise of new talent at the Under-19 level, the coming months will shape leadership, careers and the direction of the game in India.
The first big milestone on the record is T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled from February 7 to March 8, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. India begin their title defense as reigning champions – something no men’s team has ever done at this tournament – with group games against the USA, Namibia, Pakistan and the Netherlands scheduled in the opening phase.
At the center of this journey is Suryakumar Yadav, tasked with leading a young team as India prepare for the World Cup after more than a decade without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
But with great honor comes the weight of expectation. As India’s figurehead in the format, the pressure is huge on Surya: defend a title they’ve never defended before in front of a home crowd and validate his captaincy credentials in a tournament where history beckons. If Surya triumphs, India would break the ICC record and become the first men’s T20 World Cup team to retain the trophy.
It is increasingly talked about, supported trends in the selection of teams 2026 could be Surya’s last stint as T20I captain. Speculation suggests a move towards grooming another long-term leader after the World Cup – a transition that raises the stakes of his stewardship this campaign.
CAN WOMEN DO THE DOUBLE?
While much of the focus will remain on the men’s team, Indian women’s cricket enters 2026 carrying the glow of champions and the hunger for more. After their first triumph in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup at the end of 2025, the women start the year with their own first Women’s Premier League (WPL) season as reigning world champions — strong shift in perception and pressure.
WPL will once again act as a competitive engine room, honing skills and deepening leadership depth as the focus gradually turns to the next global prize. With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup also scheduled for later this year, India have a rare chance to complete the world title double, a feat that would place this generation firmly alongside the game’s greatest. Led by battle-hardened figures like Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, the challenge will be to match celebration with rebirth – to prove that triumph in 2025 was not a goal but the foundation of a sustained era of dominance in women’s cricket.
MAJOR CRICKET EVENTS IN 2026
- WPL: January 9 to February 5 (Navi Mumbai and Vadodara)
- U19 Men’s World Cup: 15 January to 6 February (Zimbabwe and Namibia)
- ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: 7 February to 8 March (India and Sri Lanka)
- IPL: March 26 to May 31
- ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: 12 June to 5 July (England)
BIG REHEARSALS FOR RO-KO, GILL
Behind the main event is the story of the enduring excellence of Indian veterans. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, though retired from T20s, remain central figures in India’s ODI set-up and are likely to be crucial in building the squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Staying fit, scoring big and mentoring the younger batsmen will be key if India are to remain a top contender across formats.
This story fits into the arc of the next generational leader in the making: Shubman Gill. Once he served as vice-captain, Gill was left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad — a decision that was one of the biggest talking points of the selection reports at the end of 2025.
All eyes – from fans to selectors – will be on his IPL season where he must turn injury setbacks and formulate questions into answers if he is to cement his place as India’s future leader across all formats.
Outside the senior circuit, another storyline unfolding at the start of the year is the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup (January 15-February 6). Led by captain Ayush Mhatra, the Indian team has exciting talents including batting wonder man Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Their progress in Zimbabwe and Namibia will offer the first glimpses of the next wave of Indian stars who could shape senior cricket for years to come.
INDIA MEN’S CRICKET SCHEDULE, DATES AND VENUES
January | New Zealand tour India
ODI
- January 11 – 1st ODI, Vadodara
- 1/14 – 2nd ODI, Rajkot
- January 18 – 3rd ODI, Indore
T20 Is
- 21 Jan – 1st T20I, Nagpur
- 23 Jan – 2nd T20I, Raipur
- 25 Jan – 3rd T20I, Guwahati
- 28 Jan – 4th T20I, Visakhapatnam
- 31 Jan – 5th T20I, Thiruvananthapuram
February–March | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
- February 7 – March 8
- Hosts: India and Sri Lanka
March–May | Indian Premier League 2026
June | Afghanistan tour of India
July | India tour of England
T20 Is
- 1 July – 1st T20I, Chester-le-Street
- July 4 – 2nd T20I, Manchester
- July 7 – 3rd T20I, Nottingham
- July 9-July 4 T20I, Bristol
- July 11 – 5th T20I, Southampton
ODI
- July 14 – 1st ODI, Birmingham
- July 16 – 2nd ODI, Cardiff
- July 19 – 3rd ODI Lord
August | India’s tour of Sri Lanka
September | India tour of Bangladesh (postponed to 2025)
September – October
India tour of Afghanistan (neutral site)
West Indies tour of India
October–November | India’s tour of New Zealand
December | Sri Lanka tour of India
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
January 1, 2026
