India’s 10-wicket defeat at the hands of England at the Adelaide Oval in the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup meant that India’s wait for an elusive ICC trophy got longer. The Men in Blue’s last global trophy was their victory in the 2013 Champions Trophy which was almost a decade back.
As far as the T20I format goes, the Men in Blue have not won the T20 World Cup for 15 years, having not got their hands on the trophy since winning the inaugural edition in 2007. The failure in 2022 saw a familiar pattern to it with the team paying the price for a conservative approach with the bat and defensive mindset with the ball.
With repeated failure in the shortest format, it is clear as day that a massive overhaul is needed. Before the next edition of the tournament which is scheduled to take place in two years time (2024) in the West Indies and United States of America (USA), a brand new squad is expected to be there
With senior players set to focus on ODI cricket and Test cricket with the 2023 Cricket World Cup and World Test Championship on the radar, it will give the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the perfect chance to refresh things in T20 Cricket.
Who will be the captain?
Rohit Sharma is a five-time IPL-winning captain and one of the world’s greatest-ever batters in the format. However, it is no secret that he is approaching the tail end of his career. While it has just been a year since he took over captaincy, his batting failures will loom large over India’s disappointing campaign.
With India needing a chance in approach, the onus will be on a new opening pair with captain and vice-captain KL Rahul likely to become the casualties. India could need a new captain if they decide to make these changes and Hardik Pandya emerges as the clear front-runner. Pandya led India on the tour to Ireland earlier this year and will also assume leadership duties in the upcoming series against New Zealand. If a chance in T20I captaincy is made ahead of the 2024 edition, it will be surprising if Pandya is not the one given the responsibility.
Players
Same players, same problems was the motto of India’s T20 World cup failure in 2022 and the good thing for India is the extraordinary depth of talent. One would expect India to bring in someone like Prithvi Shaw in the squad as well as make Sanju Samson a permanent figure. Shubman Gill has got a chance in New Zealand and it remains to be seen if he can ace this format too while Ishan Kishan has impressed already. While it remains to be seen what Virat Kohli decides about his future in the shortest format; the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Pandya will retain their place without a doubt while Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah will walk back into the team. Rishabh Pant might have struggled in the format but his outrageous talent will ensure he is a vital part of the scheme of things.
One can only expect this time around India to follow the global pattern and build their bowling attack around a wrist-spinner with Yuzvendra Chahal getting his place back and more chances for Ravi Bishnoi and possibly Kuldeep Yadav. One can hope that Washington Sundar gets rid of his injury problems and is once again given a longer run.
In the pace department, the 2022 India Premier League (IPL) showed the immense talent on show and Arshdeep Singh’s spectacular show became a living example of it. In Bumrah and Arshdeep, India have a solid core and the likes of Umran Malik, Kuldeep Sen, Mohsin Khan will get their chances.
Admittedly two years is a long time for cricket and a lot will change. New players will emerge while some will lose form and there will be injuries. However, if India want to get their hands on the trophy, they need to plan for a younger and more aggressive core from now on and then make changes as and when needed.
How Indian team could shape up: Hardik Pandya (C), Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli (if available), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Umran Malik, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel
