Are India trying too many players ahead of the T20 World Cup?
The T20 World Cup 2022 is less than eight months away and all participating teams are busy identifying their best squads. Team India is no different and their preparations are on song. The Men in Blue played have played nine T20Is post their humiliating exit in T20 World Cup 2021, and emerged victorious in every single team.
As India defeated prominent teams like New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka in this period, many back them to shine in the gala competition as well, which takes place in Australia. However, the Men in Blue have all the reasons to not get carried away with success in bilateral series. After all, India also stepped into the T20 World Cup 2021 on the back of some impressive performances.
However, the then Virat Kohli-led side couldn’t even qualify for the semi-finals. Hence, the selectors and team management would not want the same thing to happen this year. As India has been on a roll in T20Is lately, it seems there are hardly any chinks in their armour. However, that’s not the entire story.
Problem of plenty not too pleasant
The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami and KL Rahul have missed a majority of T20Is since the last year’s event. As the youngsters stepped up, their absence didn’t hurt India much. Many also appreciate the fact that India won’t be short of potent options. However, if we look at the bigger picture, the problem of plenty might not be too pleasant for selectors.
Notably, big names like Shikhar Dhawan and Yuzvendra Chahal were overlooked for last year’s global event. At the same time, the selectors went for the likes of Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar, who seem to have gone out of the radar now. However, amid injuries and resting of first-choice players, new names continue to come in the team.
The likes of Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Hooda, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson and Avesh Khan did well in the recently-concluded T20I series against Sri Lanka and West Indies. However, none of these names are certain to feature in the tournament in Australia. A lot of dynamics might change in IPL as well with new names showcasing their potential.
While the selectors might be prompted to test them out in the international arena ahead of the World Cup, they must operate with a particular group of players. This approach would also make less fuss at the selection meeting.
