Many odds are heavily stacked against Team India for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022. The Men in Blue have to fight with those odds strategically to get the desired result in the cricketing extravaganza Down the Under.
Let’s take a look on where does India stand at the mega event.
Bumrah blow
The biggest setback for the Men in Blue so far has been losing experienced pacer Jasprit Bumrah . Losing the premium bowler for an injury has transformed into a kind of nightmare. Bumrah has been ruled out following his rushed return. Without Bumrah, Indian bowling attack lacks penetration and looks ordinary. His lethal and accurate yorkers with other variations were triumph cards for India. In the hindsight, he should not have been rushed by the selectors, and given ample time for recovery.
Spinners lack bite
Tweakers’ cupboard of India looks bare. India’s premier spinner Yuzvendra Chahal looks flat and ordinary in recent times. Axar Patel can keep things tight. However, the fabled land of spinners is now struggling to find genuine bowlers with proper loop, dip, bite, and the ability to take wickets.
Spinners could be effective in Australia where the boundaries are considerably large. However, Indian spinners are lacking confidence. They are now obsessed with bowling flat deliveries lacking variation and trying to keep the batters quiet.
Death bowling
Death bowling is a real concern for India. Sans Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian pacers were treated with disdain and the balls were deposited to all parts of the grounds against recently-concluded series Australia and South Africa.
Even experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar looked pretty ordinary and leaked runs during the crucial slog overs. India should come up with a proper strategy to deal with the crisis.
Dithering bench strength
With heavy workload for the players, the injury scare is always round the corner. Meanwhile, Team India’s fabled bench strength has dithered as an unsettled assembly line often fails to get the desired results. On the other side of the order, the focus inevitably shifts towards exciting players like Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. But the million dollar question mark is why they aren’t even part of the reserves?
Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant ?
Team India is looking confused weather to include Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant in the playing eleven. With constant music chairs, both of them have also been confused with their batting position and role in the team. They were recently unsettled in the team. It could affect their performances and the balance of the batting order in the lower middle-order also.
Hitman feeling the heat
Appointing Rohit Sharma (popularly known as Hitman) as skipper across all the formats seems to have taken a toll on him. At 35, Rohit is not at the peak of his athletic prowess. He is feeling the pressure at the top of the order to give India a good start and it has seriously affected his batting.
On the other hand, England, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand have a clear-cut demarcation on captaincy between Tests and the shorter formats.
Lacking agility
Team India players have become more sluggish in the field off late. However, T20 cricket has resulted in a more athletic and explosive form of cricket. The shortest form of cricket has raised the bar in terms of fitness levels, demanding higher levels of strength, speed, agility, and reaction time from all players regardless of their role in the team.
In addition, all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s form and performances are crucial for the Indian team’s chances. At least one opener must fire to give the Indian team the much needed momentum.