‘Those games are every bit as big’ - Ricky Ponting credits IPL for India’s dominance at ICC events

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on India’s dominant run in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026, highlighting an important yet often overlooked factor behind the Men in Blue’s recent success, especially in white-ball cricket.

Ponting described India as one of the strongest T20 sides in recent times and pointed out that their depth and overall system played a crucial role in their title-winning campaign. He particularly credited the structure of Indian cricket and the impact of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in shaping players capable of thriving on the global stage.

"It's really hard to argue a point against that. If you look at this, not just the T20I team but their white-ball record in ICC events over the last five or six years, it's quite remarkable. This is a very, very strong Indian white-ball team, not just a T20 team. Back-to-back World Cups, hats off to them," Ponting was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

The former Australian skipper emphasised that India’s bench strength and consistency throughout the tournament made them a formidable unit, adding that such qualities are often underestimated when analysing their success.

He further noted that the IPL has played a massive role in preparing Indian players for high-pressure situations, giving them exposure and experience that translates well into international tournaments.

"The one thing that's probably overlooked with this current team is the amount of experience and the amount of cricket a lot of these guys have played, whether it's international cricket or even just the IPL," he said.

"The IPL games are every bit as big as international games anyway, so this Indian team came in well primed with great balance and a great squad," he concluded.

According to him, these elements, depth, consistency, and a strong domestic structure, are the real reasons behind India’s sustained dominance in white-ball cricket, even though they often go unnoticed.

Team India is on a dominant run in the ICC limited overs events. After their heartbreaking loss in the final of the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, they have managed to win three ICC trophies: T20 World Cup 2024 and 2026, and ICC Champions Trophy 2025.