Never has any team been billed as overwhelming favourites in a T20 World Cup as India in this edition of the premier event. There is an absolute consensus that this team is even better than the one which won the 2024 edition.The defending champions have everything going in their favour — form, combination and favourable home conditions; they have a certain aura of invincibility.In the last two years, they have been the most successful T20 side, having an unmatched 51-8 win-loss record in T20Is since October 2023. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side has won all the nine bilateral T20I series in the run-up to the biennial event.Former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath said in his podcast recently, “India would be hard to beat, if not India, then I would probably go for South Africa.”McGrath, known for his fine reading of the game and accurate predictions, listed out semifinalists with India on top. “No. 1 would be India, second South Africa, third England… and for the fourth it could be Pakistan or New Zealand.”While the Proteas have the potent pace attack, England the funk, Pakistan and New Zealand the surprise element, India have got it all.Shunning the bits and pieces cricket approach, India have forged a tried and tested team of specialists, each member assigned with a specific role.No matter how fickle T20 cricket may be, India have managed to be consistently successful in this format. The two-time champs have an explosive opening pair, middle order grafters, pace bowling all-rounder, a crafty spinner, and a death-over specialist — all ingredients to build a formidable T20I team.While the majority of teams find themselves struggling in one department or other, India have the luxury of all bases covered.World No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma and No. 1 T20I bowler Varun Chakravarthy are undoubtedly the X-factor.Specialists have been chosen for each role, shunning the conservative approach prevailing for a long time. It is for this reason Test captain Shubman Gill has been dropped for Ishan Kishan in the top slot. Tilak Varma lends solidity and Rinku Singh provides the final flourish. The script is simple: post a big total and leave itto Jasprit Bumrah, Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh to do the rest.Could it be then that India becomes the first team to defend its World T20 title successfully — that too in front of its home crowd.MS Dhoni, the most successful India captain of all time, vouches for this team. India is “one of the most dangerous teams”, Dhoni said, adding, “What all is needed in a good team, everything is there. They have the experience, especially when it comes to this format, the experience is vast. They have played under pressure. Whoever is playing whatever roles they are playing in the team, they have been in that situation for a considerable period of time.”