Indian Team Is the Hero of the World Cup

The Collective Triumph

There were no prima donnas in the Indian cricket team that won the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad on Sunday, 08 March 2026. It was a great day for India; they defended the title—the first country to do so—and won the trophy for the first time on home soil. There was no single hero. There were many heroes, but none of them was indispensable. There is no star like a Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni, or Rohit Sharma around whom the winning side is built. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma departed the scene when their time was up. Shubman Gill had to give way to others as his form deserted him. No sentiments. This is a team built by head coach Gautam Gambhir, who does not accept any player as indispensable, yet considers no player unimportant. He is a serious guy who rarely smiles, but when he does, “it looks beautiful,” as Dhoni once told him. Gambhir operates by trial and error. He judges every player thoroughly before placing his trust in them. With a clear mandate from the BCCI leadership and selector Ajit Agarkar—who also prioritizes merit over reputation—Gambhir has transformed the team’s culture.

A New Era: The End of the Indispensable Star

The team that played the semi-final and final remained unchanged. Despite suggestions by ace cricketer Sunil Gavaskar to replace an out-of-form Abhishek Sharma with Rinku Singh, and Varun Chakravarthy with spinner Kuldeep Yadav, Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav kept their faith. That trust was rewarded. Both Abhishek and Varun were the number-one ranked batsman and bowler, respectively, before the World Cup started. Abhishek returned to form just in time for the final, smashing the fastest fifty to lay the foundation for a great innings, while Varun took crucial wickets.

Redemption Songs: Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan

Sanju Samson’s presence in the team was largely due to the backing of Gambhir and Suryakumar. Having previously lost his place to Ishan Kishan, he was recalled against popular expectation. Gambhir assured him that he would keep wickets and retain his spot regardless of his run count. That gave him the necessary confidence. Samson had been crestfallen after a New Zealand tour where he scored only 46 runs in five innings. He admitted he was “broke and out of his mind,” telling his mentor Sachin Tendulkar that his “dream had been shattered.” Though part of the 2024 winning squad in the West Indies, he never played a game. However, when India needed him most in 2026, he delivered handsomely, scoring three consecutive fifties and anchoring wins over the West Indies, England, and New Zealand. With scores of 97 against the West Indies and 89 against both England and New Zealand, he was rightfully declared Player of the Tournament.

Ishan Kishan shared a similar path of redemption. Having been away from the national side for two years after requesting a break due to mental stress, he had to prove himself in domestic cricket. He spent those two years carrying a photo of Saibaba and a copy of the Bhagavad Gita in his bag. “After a point, you stop expecting. You have to keep doing things in your control,” he commented. His faith and domestic performance earned him a comeback, and his play style in this World Cup was widely celebrated.

Suryakumar Yadav: The Devotional Captain

Captain Suryakumar Yadav faced his own struggles in 2025, scoring only 100 runs in 11 innings. He took a break, became devotional, and often listened to the Hanuman Chalisa alone to find peace. He returned to lead the team to victory in his trademark “erratic” yet brilliant way, scoring vital runs against the US when they were needed most. Having started his international career at 30 and winning the World Cup at 36, Suryakumar takes life in his stride.

The transition was not without friction. Hardik Pandya was replaced as captain when Gambhir took over due to fitness issues, but by the Super 8 stage, he was an integral part of the playing eleven. Off the field, the team showed immense character. Rinku Singh, despite losing his father during the tournament, flew to Aligarh for the funeral and returned immediately to support the team as a substitute fielder. Suryakumar, devoid of ego, spent quality time soothing Hardik’s feelings regarding the captaincy and consoling Rinku. He even owned up to his mistakes, telling Axar Patel it was an error to drop him in the match against South Africa. Axar proved his mettle soon after with two marvelous catches in the semi-final and three wickets against New Zealand.

The Gambhir Philosophy: Merit Over Reputation

Other players also rose to the occasion. Shivam Dube specialized as the team’s designated power-hitter. After the win against the West Indies, Gambhir remarked, “Shivam’s two boundaries are as important as Sanju’s 97.” Tilak Varma provided critical cameos and counter-attacking capabilities, while Jasprit Bumrah remained the chief wrecker, taking four crucial wickets in the final with his lethal yorkers’ and deceptive slower balls. Arshdeep Singh balanced the side, providing swing on the field and lightening the dressing room atmosphere with his humour.

This World Cup victory was the result of a well-planned process. The credit belongs to the leadership of Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav. India has moved past the era of building individual heroes; now, the team is the priority, and winning is the sole objective. This marks a promising new chapter for Indian cricket.

Dr. K. Ramachandra Murthy

Prominent Journalist

Dr. K. Ramachandra Murthy is a versatile journalist with a distinguished career. Dr. Murthy began his extensive career with Andhra Prabha of The Indian Express group in Bengaluru. He was editor of Udayam, Vaartha and Andhra Jyothy. Dr. Murthy founded and edited HMTV news channel and The Hans India, an English newspaper. He was also editorial director of the Telugu newspaper, Saakshi. He was awarded Ph. D for his research work in rural reporting. Dr. Murthy’s five decades in journalism showcases his influential roles across both print and electronic media. He wrote the political biography of NTR published by Harper Collins.