‘Khoon garam tha’: Surya on how India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad will be different from 2024

New Delhi: Captain India Suryakumar Yadav Providing a fascinating insight into the uniqueness of the country’s back-to-back T20 World Cup-winning squads, the 2024 side is described as being driven by the “passion of experience” while the 2026 side is driven by the “fiery passion of youth”.“Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Suryakumar explained that while both teams have the same skill set, the difference lies in their mentality. “Only ‘unnis bees ka farak’. Woh experience wala josh tha, idhar ekdum khoon garam tha ladkon ka,” he told PTI in an interview, highlighting how the earlier teams relied on experience while the latest teams thrived on youthful exuberance.The victory in 2024 will be in Rohit Sharmathose who are characterized by firmness, such as Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadejawhose experience helped India end its long international title drought. In contrast, the 2026 team saw the rise of a young core after its senior trio retired.

2024 vs 2026 – Experience vs Youth“In 2024, we have a lot of experience and clear roles. There are good players now, but that team has a lot of experience,” Suryakumar noted, downplaying any direct comparison in terms of the strengths of the two sides.Leading a relatively young team in 2026 also means managing expectations, especially with games at home. Suryakumar revealed that he had to prepare his players mentally for such a major incident. “All the players are between 25 and 27 years old. It’s important to tell them what it feels like to win the World Cup in India with 50,000 or even 100,000 people cheering,” he said.Despite their relative inexperience, the captain believes the team’s desire has made a difference. “From a technical point of view, there are only subtle differences in T20 cricket, but this time there is more enthusiasm,” he added.Looking back on his journey from key player in 2024 to captain in 2026, Suryakumar admits to being more emotional. “The goal is the same but there are more emotions in 2026 because we are playing in India. Winning in Ahmedabad makes it even more special,” he said.