Despite a convincing 48-run victory for India against New Zealand in the first T20 International in Nagpur on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has voiced a "concern," though he didn't specify the exact nature of the concern.
India's strong performance saw them post a formidable total of 238/7, thanks in part to Rinku Singh's explosive innings of 44 runs off just 20 balls. Harbhajan Singh praised Rinku's performance, noting that he made full use of the opportunity he got after a long time. Rinku, who returned to the playing XI after being named in India's 2026 T20 World Cup squad, impressed as a finisher, hitting four boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 220. His contribution in the final over was particularly crucial, where he scored 21 runs, matching a record held by MS Dhoni.
Abhishek Sharma also had a notable performance, completing 5,000 runs in T20 cricket and becoming the fastest batter to reach the milestone in just 2,898 balls, surpassing Andre Russell's previous record. Harbhajan Singh also lauded Abhishek Sharma for his selfless mindset.
While Harbhajan Singh acknowledged that everyone goes through lean patches, he expressed optimism that Suryakumar Yadav is on the path to regaining his form. He noted that Suryakumar's form would likely improve and that he might be saving his best for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Harbhajan observed that when a player's form is poor, captaincy decisions can become problematic. He believes Suryakumar will learn from his mistakes and that his performance graph will only go up from here.
Despite the win, Harbhajan Singh has previously highlighted India's declining performance in Test and ODI cricket, as well as their repeated losses to foreign teams. He has also been critical of leadership and coaching decisions. Following India's ODI series defeat to New Zealand, Harbhajan Singh said that the team has a lot to learn. He pointed out that in the third ODI, apart from Virat Kohli, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, no other player could support Kohli. He also noted that India did not get off to a good start, which is essential when chasing a steep target.
