After a rollercoaster 2024, the India Women’s cricket team is once again on the international T20I stage – and this time around, it’s not only about winning a bilateral series. With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 looming over England, we have an opportunity to tour England this year for a five-match series against the home team, representing more than just a warm-up – it’s a full-dress rehearsal. If we think about it, it’s like the cricket version of an open mic night before we have our show. So then, where does our road to 2026 look like? 

 

The Top Order’s Solid — But Can the Fire Spread Lower?

 

India’s top five? They’re the all-star mixtape of Indian cricket — Smriti’s timing, Shafali’s tempo, Jemimah’s groove, Harmanpreet’s soul, and Richa’s drop-the-mic power. Together, they hit all the right notes. All of these players are well-known and established names — players that have been able to achieve results, as well as players that have been synonymous with Indian ambition in the past. Ghosh has certainly achieved results, at a rate of 148.80 in 2023, and she’s spearheading India’s possible evolution in power-hitting (or at least trying!). Mandhana is near, albeit the problems, as we can see, are underneath.

 

India’s lower middle order has been a glaring weakness, and it’s not just about the stats; it’s about the impact. Since 2023, batters at No. 6 and below have struggled to score at tempo, managing just a pathetic strike rate of 104.05 in 42 matches and four sixes. Amanjot Kaur, who dazzled as a finisher in WPL 2025, is being viewed as the solution, but she will only blossom the more she is backed and with a set role.

 

A Bowling Rebuild or Just a Temporary Gap?

 

There has been some change on the bowling front – not all of it is planned! Injuries have hindered India’s pace attack by losing their two spearheads in Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar, meaning India now has a young, untried fast bowling group. We will be giving debuts to Kranti Goud and Sayali Satghare, who have not played before but will be bringing some fresh energy to the group.

 

The spinning department, which has historically been a strength of India, is in transition too. Deepti Sharma is a constant, but again her batting has been at a modest strike rate (99.10), and no spin partner looks like a nailed-on prospect at present, so India is undoubtedly still trying combinations. All in all, though, the fact that India has looked at 10 different spinners since 2023 shines a light on how unsettled this area is. With the ICC major tournament just around the corner (along with England’s changeable conditions), this department needs to find stability in squads and performances.

 

Leadership, Intent, and the Search for Identity

 

If 2024 was all about nursing the wounds of previous heartbreaks, then 2025 is going to be about intent and identity. While the scoreboard sparked debates, India’s selectors kept faith in their firebrand leader, refusing to rewrite the headline. Kaur has also played the role of the opponent’s pressure player, writing herself into world cricket history by being the anchor player in record collapses and grinding runs under pressure.

 

Your turn — do you think India has what it takes to lift their first T20 World Cup in 2026, or are there more fundamental/issues with their game or approach that need addressing right now? Leave us your thoughts in the comments.