Team India boast a remarkable 2.338 W/L ratio from 249 T20Is, standing head and shoulders above other Test-playing nations.
Team India, the two-time T20 World Champions, are, by a fair margin, the most prolific full-member nation in the shortest format. The Men in Blue have won a whopping 166 matches out of the 249 they played, and have lost just 71, making their W/L ratio 2.338. This figure is the best for a team that has featured in at least 125 T20I games.
In recent times, India have taken their T20 game to the next level, having shown remarkable consistency in a format often described as highly unpredictable.
Since 2024, India have won 28 of the 33 games played and possess an astonishing W/L ratio of 9.00. This phase also saw them win the coveted T20 World Cup for the second time in their history.
So, how did they ace a format where any side can beat any other side on a given day?
Factors that have contributed to make India a top T20I side:
Impact of IPL
The Indian Premier League has done a world of good for the national team as far as the shortest format of the game is concerned. The league has helped the country churn out exciting talents one after another, and this has been consistently happening over the last decade or so.
The current crop of players, like Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya, have all emerged from the IPL. Their stocks increased after several impactful seasons in the league. Hence, the premier T20 league of the world has given the national team some of the best white-ball talents.
The above-mentioned players are the ones who have taken India to great heights in the format, including winning them a second ICC T20 World Cup little more than a year ago. Above all, the IPL has given youngsters a great deal of exposure, giving them enough preparation for the international level.
Read More: Numerical story of India’s batting dominance in T20Is post T20 WC 2022
India’s strong batting line-up
One of the key factors in India’s dominance in the international T20s is their batting might. They have posted a total of 225 or more 12 times, and four of them have come since they won the World Cup. This clearly shows the authoritative nature with which India’s batters, especially the modern generation, approach the game.
The fear factor in them is minimal, and that allows them to bat freely in any given situation. For instance, Abhishek Sharma, who opens for the team in this format, has a strike rate of 195.40 across 18 innings. He has amassed 596 runs in this format, and Sanju Samson, with 487 runs, has a strike rate of 170.87. They are followed by Tilak Varma (159.32) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (147.68).
Till the lead-up to the Asia Cup 2025, this was India’s top four in T20I batting order, and the batting strike rate reflects the sheer dominance of India in the format. The middle-order hasn’t done badly either, and this collective effort has been one of the reasons why India have been absolutely brilliant.
Read More: India’s bowlers have taken 185 wickets in middle overs (7-15) in T20Is post T20 World Cup 2022
Immaculate spin options
India have a good amount of depth in their spin department, across all formats of the game. It is no different in the T20I format, and the current crop of players have proved to be key assets for the team. From the core group of spinners to the reserves, all have come good at different stages of the game and proved to be match winners on their day.
Varun Chakaravarthy, the newly crowned No.1 T20I bowler, has been the go-to spinner for the reigning World champions, while the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel have been equally lethal.
Since 2024, Varun averages 11.42, taking two fifers among 33 wickets. The World Cup hero, Axar, has been ever consistent, scaling 29 wickets. The beauty of India’s team is that their reserve spinner, Ravi Bishnoi (27 wickets), has outbowled many of the other team’s lead spinners.
Emergence of T20 superstars
As mentioned earlier, India now have several players in ranks who have grown on to become T20 superstars in their own right.
The current India T20 skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, not long ago was the top-ranked batter in the format with more than 2500 T20I runs to his name. Hardik Pandya is among the best all-rounders in the world and has proved to be a genuine match-winner for India. And then there is Jasprit Bumrah, who is probably the best all-format bowler currently.
Therefore, Team India are blessed to have three of the biggest match-winners and champions in their ranks in the shortest format at the same time. The same has mostly translated to success for the Men in Blue in 20-over contests.
Read More: Asia Cup 2025: Gap between India batters & other teams too large – A numerical analysis
