The ground is the same, the settings are similar, the players are almost the same and India’s first opponent in the next edition of Asia Cup is the same. Pakistan. It was barely a year ago against the same opposition in the T20 World Cup in Dubai, Pakistan finally laid to rest the ghosts of not winning a World Cup game against India. Now, we return to the same ground because of the political situation in Sri Lanka. The Asia Cup from India’s perspective.
The tournament consists of 6 teams with Hong Kong joining the established Test playing nations. The format of the tournament is quite strange. A qualifier just to identify the 6th team was complete on 24th August and Hong Kong have emerged as the winners. It really is a surprise to know that Hong Kong does play cricket. Anyway, there is also a super-4 and then the final. In a tournament of just 6 teams, super-4 does not really make sense. India and Pakistan will qualify but the other group might be a bit tricky with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan all being equal.
Nonetheless, I expect Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to qualify for the next round. However, in all likelihood, it will be an India vs Pakistan finals. India is easily the best side in the entire continent and Pakistan in this format is certainly better than the rest. It is likely that India and Pakistan will face-off as many as 3 times during the tournament including the finals.
If at all I have to pick any team who might threaten this order, it will have to be Afghanistan. With the pitches being slow, Afghanistan’s spinners will be much bigger threat for the likes of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and perhaps even Pakistan.
From an Indian’s perspective
This is actually a chance for India to show how much have they developed over the last one year. Against the same opposition, around a year ago, the batsmen did not inspire any confidence at all. At the time, all the Indian cricketers were quite jaded after a gruelling tour of England followed by hit and giggle IPL. They were so tired that it must have been very hard for them to turn up for such an important game for the entire country. Now, things are a bit different. Though an overwhelming number of players were involved in constant cricket, it is not like last year. It has been a much more relaxed number of games against easy opposition in West Indies and Zimbabwe.
It was after that tournament, did India decide to change their approach towards batting in T20. Until that point, they were content on playing the first few overs safely and thereby preserving wickets. Things have changed now. The Indian batsmen are going for shots right from the beginning. This is a welcome change because the world had moved on long ago. In 2022 so far, India have gotten off the blocks quickly and they have scored at more than 8.5 an over with Rohit Sharma leading the way. It is a far cry from the meagre runs before. India now have firepower at the top of the order. Pant, Surya Yadav and Deepak Hooda are all capable of scoring at a high rate. They have the game to not only unsettle the opposition but to completely demoralise them.
The Indian batting
With Pant being a certainty in the team, I will open with Pant and Rohit rather than Rahul. Rahul as I have often said, is not an opener. His best position is at the lower middle order from where he can unleash his wide array of shots. Ideally, Surya Yadav could open but his dynamism with the bat is very much required for the spinners of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He will be able to not just control them but will make the opponents to think and not bowl the defensive line that they are used too like Imad Wasim.
I hope the top 5 will be Rohit, Pant, Kohli, Surya & Rahul.
The middle order is likely to be manned by the two allrounders in Pandya and Jadeja. Both of them are good hitters and for them to walk in at around the 16th over mark will send shivers down the opposition. They have the ability to propel the score from the good to the solid. Moreover, they can easily send down 8 overs among them.
The Indian bowling in the absence of Bumrah
The loss of Bumrah is quite severe but that will be offset by the loss of Afridi for Pakistan. On paper, India looks much more balanced and a much better side. They bat deep enough and have enough bowler to cover for. The loss of Harshal Patel, who is a good T20 bowler is also a blow. Kumar is the only bowler who has got experience. The likes of Arshdeep, Avesh Khan and Bishnoi are too inexperienced for a tournament of this magnitude. That is the only serious concern for the team. Chahal is back in the squad. He will be able to control the middle overs which was sorely missed in the T20 World Cup.
If India want a bowler who can bat, Ashwin is likely to be drafted because none of the bowlers can bat. The bowling combination is going to be tricky. Do they want pure bowlers in Chahal / Bishnoi, Avesh and Arshdeep or go in with an extra batsman in Karthik because of the bowling abilities of Hardik and Jadeja? This is something that will most likely be decided based on the conditions.
The team is likely to be Rohit, Pant, Kohli, Surya, Rahul, Hardik, Jadeja, Kumar, Avesh and two of Ashwin/Deepak/Arshdeep/Karthik.
Wrapping up the Asia Cup from India’s perspective
With the Asia Cup reverting to T20 format, presumably to give all the teams sort of a preparation time for the World Cup in Australia, it is just a question of which team plays well over 3 hours. India is the firm favourites though.