T20 World Cup 2026: Former India bowler tips New Zealand as biggest threat to India’s title defence

Former India pace bowler Varun Aaron has warned that New Zealand could emerge as one of India’s toughest opponents at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Speaking ahead of the tournament, Aaron underlined how the Black Caps’ familiarity with subcontinental conditions and their experience in the IPL could give them a crucial edge.

Aaron pointed out that New Zealand’s batting unit is well-equipped to handle spin, a factor that becomes increasingly important in Indian and Sri Lankan conditions. He stressed that several Kiwi players have developed a strong understanding of these surfaces through years of franchise cricket in India.

“They are a big challenge to India because they have a lot of players in their ranks who can play spin really well. We all know that when you come to the subcontinent, your batters have to be able to negotiate spin well, and they also have a lot of experience playing the IPL. The likes of Daryl Mitchell, somebody who is in prime form, is going to be key in this New Zealand setup,” he said on Star Sports.

The erstwhile fast bowler also highlighted New Zealand’s collective mindset, praising their ability to punch above their weight despite lacking superstar names when compared to teams like India or Australia. According to Aaron, their fielding standards and resilience often help them stay competitive even in high-pressure situations.

“The thing with New Zealand is that they have this never-give-up attitude. They can come from behind and win games. New Zealand is a team which has never had massive superstars when you compare them to the likes of Australia and India, but somehow they all chip in, and most importantly, on the field, they save a lot of runs,” he observed.

“NZ have one of the best-rounded bowling attacks”

In addition to their batting depth, Aaron believes that the BlackCaps possess one of the most complete bowling attacks heading into the tournament. He singled out Mitchell Santner as a vital cog, especially on slower pitches where control and variation become decisive in the latter stages of an innings.

“New Zealand have one of the best-rounded bowling attacks, whether it comes to spin or pace, because a lot of their players have a lot of IPL experience. When you have IPL experience, you know how conditions are going to play out. You know each venue really well, especially Mitchell Santner, somebody who is going to be key for them, especially when the wickets get a bit slower towards the backend,” he said.

However, Aaron acknowledged that New Zealand face a stern challenge in the group stage, having been drawn alongside strong sides like Afghanistan and South Africa. He described the group as unforgiving and stressed that consistency would be essential for the Black Caps to advance.

“D for death. They have got Afghanistan and South Africa, two very, very potent teams, especially Afghanistan. Afghanistan, for me, are the dark horses, especially in the group stages. They can knock out any team on a given day. So New Zealand are really going to have to be on their A game if they want to qualify for the next stage,” Aaron observed.

New Zealand will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against Afghanistan in Chennai on February 8. They are scheduled to face the UAE at the same venue before travelling to Ahmedabad for their clash against South Africa and will conclude their group-stage fixtures against Canada in Chepauk.