Watch: Yuzvendra Chahal picks Player of the Tournament for T20 World Cup 2026 overlooking in-form Abhishek Sharma

Veteran India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has picked Jasprit Bumrah as his Player of the Tournament for the T20 World Cup 2026. He did not pick top batter Abhishek Sharma or T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav for this. The tournament will be held in India and Sri Lanka, starting on Saturday, February 7.

In a video shared by Star Sports on X on January 31, Chahal said Abhishek Sharma will be the best batter and will hit the most sixes in the tournament. He also said Jasprit Bumrah will be the best bowler and his main choice for Player of the Tournament.

Chahal said he is most excited to watch India play Pakistan on Sunday, February 15, in Colombo. He also predicted that 240 will be the highest team total in the tournament.

Watch the video here:

Also read -Why Trent Boult is not playing for New Zealand in T20 World Cup 2026?

India Enters T20 World Cup 2026 as Defending Champions

The Men in Blue will enter the T20 World Cup 2026 as the defending champions. They won the 2024 edition under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma. Chahal was part of the 2024 squad but did not play in any matches.

Bumrah Shines in 2024 Edition

Ace Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah was named Player of the Tournament in the 2024 T20 World Cup. India won the title by beating South Africa in the final. In that tournament, Bumrah took 15 wickets in eight matches. He had an average of 8.26, a strike rate of 11.86, and an economy rate of 4.17. His best bowling figures were 3/7.

Overall, the 32-year-old has played 86 T20Is. He has taken 107 wickets in 83 innings, the second-highest for India in this format. He has an average of 18.28, a strike rate of 17.0, and an economy rate of 6.44.