Overview:
Dravid praised Rohit's ability to adapt to the new strategy, highlighting that India had been slower to progress in white-ball cricket in the past.
Rahul Dravid discussed India’s strong prospects for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, pointing out their status as favourites but stressing the importance of avoiding any slip-ups, reminiscent of their 2023 ODI World Cup final defeat.
India heads into the tournament as defending champions, looking to make history by winning two T20 World Cups in a row. They are undefeated in T20I series since their triumph in Barbados, continuing their dominant form.
Rahul Dravid backed India as heavy favourites to make it to the semi-finals but reminded that knockout cricket allows no margin for mistakes.
“They are undoubtedly the favourites to make it to the semi-finals, but as I’ve learned from past disappointments, it’s all about which team performs better on the day. Anyone can have a great performance and cause an upset,” said Rahul Dravid ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.
“Regardless of how strong the Indian team is, one poor performance can ruin everything,” he added.
During Rahul Dravid’s time as head coach, India made significant improvements in white-ball cricket. The collaboration between Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma transformed India’s strategy in limited-overs formats, focusing on increased intensity and intent throughout the match.
When Rahul Dravid was quizzed on India's chances at the T20WC, he mentioned that the current Indian team is at a very different level than anyone else.
— Kartik Kannan (@kartik_kannan) January 28, 2026
He also mentioned that with the way India plays, they will for sure make it to a semi-final and from then on it's 2 good days… pic.twitter.com/sK8IWDSrkE
Rohit Sharma took charge with dynamic starts in both ODIs and T20Is, constantly applying pressure on the opposition from the outset. Dravid praised Rohit’s ability to adapt to the new strategy, highlighting that India had been slower to progress in white-ball cricket in the past.
“We felt that we were a bit behind in white-ball cricket and needed to push ourselves further. With run rates rising and risk-taking increasing, it was clear we had to adjust to that new reality,” Dravid added.
“What stood out was that Rohit took charge right away. He took it upon himself to set the pace, rather than expecting others to do it. When your leader steps up and says, ‘I’ll do this, even if it affects my average or personal stats,’ it makes it much easier to convey that message to the entire team,” he mentioned.
“I believe Rohit handled the shift into leadership excellently. The team never felt that he had changed, and that’s a rare and crucial quality in a leader,” Dravid concluded.