Eye on England, mind on world conquest: India prepares for T20I series in Motera

Like the 2019 World Cup in England, India heads to the T20 World Cup with a similar dilemma: Who should be the number 4 hitter? Should they go with Shreyas Iyer or do they give the hero of the last IPL, Suryakumar Yadav, a long rope? They might even consider going with Manish Pandey, India’s perpetual fringe player with a T20 average of 45. And given that IPL 14 is just around the corner, what if another hitter emerges and complicates the picture further?

Putting pressure on the national selectors and team leadership is that number 4 is not the only dilemma. So deep is India’s T20 talent pool that there are several exciting options for virtually every venue. The upcoming 5-game T20 series against England in Ahmedabad gives India an ideal preparatory ground in terms of focusing on team balance, even as they advance to the main event, which is scheduled at home in October. Here are some questions that decision makers hope to answer in the days and months leading up to the event.

Table of Contents
Who will be the openers?
How is the middle order accumulated?
Hardik’s Riddle: Will he, won’t he?
Will Rishabh Pant appear in the XI?
Who could be the main spinners?
Will R Ashwin be able to return to cue ball cricket?
What will be the composition of the rhythm attack?

Who will be the openers?

Rohit Sharma makes the cut automatically. According to Virat Kohli, KL Rahul will pair him with Shikhar Dhawan as the second starter. Not surprisingly, for the past 18 months, Rahul has been India’s most prolific hitter in the shorter format. He was the Orange Cap starter at IPL 2020, racking up 670 runs in 14 games. Since July 2019, he has racked up 663 runs in 17 T20 innings, with seven 50 as well, beating Dhawan, who was able to collect 359 runs in 13 innings during this period. More than the runs, it’s Rahul’s strike rate that stands out, an impressive 140, which is higher than Dhawan’s not-so-flattering 120.88. By partnering with Rohit, they score an impressive 50+ average, while maintaining a solid run rate of nearly 10 runs per over. Also, Dhawan tends to sell out a lot of deliveries early on, while Rahul could get down to business right away. India could well learn from the 2016 T20 World Cup, in which the relatively orthodox approach of the starters weighed down on Kohli.

Kohli: “KL and Rohit have consistently performed at the top. If any of them rest, Shikhar is the third starter. Rohit and Rahul will start. “

How is the middle order accumulated?

The Indian captain enters at No. 3, and there is a draw between two talented Mumbaikars, Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav, at No. 4.

Both have risen through the ranks thanks to their IPL exploits. Iyer with 24 T20 matches under his belt should be the ideal candidate to follow his captain. But don’t discount the debutant. Not only has the 30-year-old worked hard on his fitness and lost 12kg, but his brilliant hitting game and hitting rate higher than 145 to Iyer’s 123 at the 2020 IPL make his case. convincing. Manish Pandey, with a T20 average of 45, is another player worth considering. Lately, your order has been canceled too often. But in his stints with Sunrisers Hyderabad, he has proven his worth.

Kohli: “The guys who can be ‘x factors’ with the bat and get things done are the need of the moment in T20 cricket. They have done it on a regular basis at the IPL, so we have tried to cover all of those bases. Now it will be interesting to see how these five games fare. “

Hardik’s Riddle: Will he, won’t he?

Hardik Pandya is ranked No. 6 as a team finisher. But the bigger question is the status of his back injury and whether he will be fit enough to throw four closer overs on a regular basis. Doing so would give him the balance he sorely lacked during the T20 series against Australia last year. With none of the top five batsmen capable of bowling part-time, India could have a hard time restraining an effervescent England in Ahmedabad with just five bowlers. The team is still hampered by Ravindra Jadeja’s thumb injury, but Kohli has claimed the off-roader will walk on the day he declares himself fit.

Kohli: “We need him to go bowling. That’s when he becomes that guy who brings us a lot of balance. He wants to go back to the bowling alley himself. “

Will Rishabh Pant appear in the XI?

The statistical evidence (27 Q20 with an average of 20.5 and a strike rate of 122) gives the impression that it is still in process. However, his recent exploits with the bat and a much improved performance behind the stumps have emboldened the team’s leadership. Aside from Pant, India has also brought in Ishan Kishan, who in many ways is a similar replacement for Pant. Things could get complicated if Sanju Samson finally lives up to his potential and puts on a consistent hitting display.

Rohit Sharma: Let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant. He will give you those winning performances. We leave him alone and let him play freely, and as team leaders, we are prepared to do so. “

Who could be the main spinners?

Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar look like the top spinners. Sundar’s prowess at restricting running in Powerplays is well known, while Chahal has proven his mettle in the T20s as a bowler taking wicket in the middle with his variation on the lines – the widest slow leg rest. from the outside that throws has caught many in the past, and skillful changes of pace.

Varun Chakravarthy is in the mix every time he passes physical fitness tests. Until then, Rahul Chahar has a chance to take his place. Axar Patel will also be tested to see if he can snatch the spot from the off-roader. The addition of Chakravarthy is a key indicator of Kohli’s plans. The mysterious spinner has puzzled players like MS Dhoni on the IPL and it looks like India wants to unleash it at the T20 World Cup in its first year of international cricket before batsmen start to decode its action. Patel’s inclusion is due to his overall ability: he won a match with his bat in the IPL by crushing Ravindra Jadeja by six in the last over.

Kohli on Chakravarthy: “People must understand the system that has been created for the team. You have to operate at very high levels of fitness. It is hoped that the players fulfill what is required for the team. There are no commitments. “

Will R Ashwin be able to return to cue ball cricket?

Kohli hinted that the door is not closed for him, it is still part of Plan B, in case Washington Sundar loses form. At the last IPL, Ashwin proved his mettle by eliminating top hitters, including Rohit, Chris Gayle and Kohli. He worried hitters even as they tried to fire him, something that cannot be said for the other Indian spinners on the team. Also, he is at the top of his craft and could bowling at the beginning, in the middle, or at death and choosing terrains.

Kohli: “Washington has been doing very well, so you can’t have two similar players. Unless Washington is having a horribly bad season, I don’t see it … you have to have some logic in asking the question, tell me where would you fit into Ash. “

What will be the composition of the rhythm attack?

Jasprit Bumrah is undoubtedly the leader. Mohammed Shami has not reached full physical form. Then there are the likes of Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, and T Natarajan to choose from. It will also be interesting to see how Bhuvneshwar Kumar acts. Pacemaker Meerut is making a comeback after a leg injury at the 2020 IPL ruled him out of international cricket. And at his best, he’s an ideal ally for Bumrah.

Kohli in Kumar: “Bhuvneshwar is shaping up really well. He has worked very well to get back in top shape and he seems to be a smart operator, we have seen him in the past. Continue to bring that experience, which is vital to us. He has a clear understanding of what he wants to do in the future. “

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