One more World Cup done and dusted and one more disappointment for the Indians. The next one is not that far away though there is a fair bit of time left. Conditions in the West Indies is pretty well known though USA is an unknown commodity. Since the pitches in the West Indies have lost their past glory, they are likely to be batting paradise. Hence, the quick scoring batsmen and good quality bowlers will be of great importance. Who will be the Indian personnel for the 2024 T20 World Cup?
It is time Indians start to play the game the modern way. It calls for a radical shift of mindset and attitude. Batsmen who are not afraid of playing shots and who can bowl a bit and bowlers who if not good with the bat, atleast with a bit of ability with the bat. A good leg-spinner and a couple of fast bowlers who can bowl at 145KMPH with good control. These are pretty basic requirements. The personnel must be along these lines.
The change must happen right at the top. Rohit Sharma is unlikely to remain fit and he does not really have the power game. He is more of a touch player. A breed whose value has diminished in the shortest format. Kohli is not that different from Rohit either because needs time to settle down. Moreover, both will be on the wrong side of 35 and hence, reflexes are bound to slow down. There is no point in sticking to them. Both of them must be let go. Rahul, no one is sure why he played in the World Cup at all despite multiple chances. Yet, he was persisted with. Enough is enough. He must bid goodbye to T20.
Openers
Prithvi Shaw & Ishan Kishan
Both are naturally aggressive cricketers. They do not need time to bat themselves in before playing shots. It is the explosive pair that the team needs. Shaw’s fitness is a concern and Ishan’s ability with the shortball is a concern too but it is not something that cannot be rectified. The NCA in Bangalore was instituted after much fanfare. No one really know what is happening there. It was bordered on the lines of the Australian Academy which is more of a finishing school rather than for freshers. It is time the NCA earns its worth. Both these batsmen must be developed with the sole aim of providing explosive starts during the World Cup.
Middle order
Surya Yadav, easily the best Indian T20 batsman, must come in at number 3. He needs to bat the maximum amount of deliveries considering his quality. If he bats for 10 overs, he can propel the score to incredible proportions.
I will have Sanju Samson at number 4. He has the ability to score against any kind of attack. He is good against both the fast bowlers and spinners. Infact, he relishes spinners. Though he does not have the same range of shots as Surya, he can score quickly. He is also competent behind the stumps and he will be the wicket keeper.
Hardik Pandya will walk in at number 5. Since becoming the captain of Gujarat Titans, he has shown an ability to graft for runs and wait for the final overs. He has the capability to hold the innings and launch an assault. Being the captain of this side, he is likely to assume much more responsibilities and bat according to the situation.
Ravindra Jadeja will have to follow Pandya. In the event of a top order collapse, Jadeja is ideally suited to partner with Pandya to resurrect the innings. Assuming that he will be fit by the time the World Cup comes around, he will be an ideal cricketer in this format. Capable of bowling a couple of overs and capable of holding the innings as well as launching an assault, not to forget his exemplary fielding. He is a complete T20 package.
I will want a batsman at number 7. The contenders are quite a few. Shreyas, Sundar, Rajat Patidar, Venkatesh Iyer, Ruturaj, Abhishek Sharma and a few others. Selection must depend on who is in form at that moment.
The fast bowlers
Two pure fast men are required. Umran Malik, Kuldeep Sen, Prasidh Krishna, Arsh Deep they all come into the picture. I am afraid there is no place for Shami or Kumar or for that matter even Bumrah. Arshdeep has shown promise. He will do well to increase his pace by a few yards. At the moment, he is in the mid 130s. It is not enough to trouble batsmen on placid tracks that are likely to be laid out in West Indies. Bumrah can replace Arshdeep but bowlers of high pace is mandatory.
Spinners
A good legspinner is much required in T20. Adam Zampa, Adil Rashid, Shadab Khan have all prospered because the ball turns away from the right hander. Chahal will be 35 and he has already lost lot of nip and zip. He is not the same Chahal that bowled superbly between 2015 & 2019. It is time to look beyond him. Ravi Bishnoi is more of an offspinner with a legspinner’s action because he mostly bowls googlies. It is just a question of time before he will easily picked by the batsmen. Hence, he is not the option either though he can be in the squad. The selectors will have to invest in another legspinner though at the moment, they are not in sight.
Wrapping up the Indian personnel for the 2024 T20 World Cup
Dravid as the coach needs rethinking. Perhaps, it is time for the board to invest in direct set of coaches. One set for Test cricket and the other for white ball cricket. Dravid who himself was a conservative cricketer is likely to play safe. It will not be a mistake to involve foreign coaches. Also, it is time IPL proves its worth. It has been 15 years since the IPL was inaugurated. Except for one World Cup in 2011, India not have anything else to show for. Dale Steyn rightly remarked that IPL is for money and not for quality of cricket. Every year, IPL auction attracts lot of attention and the only thing that is talked about was Money. That must change. IPL must put quality above money for Indian cricket to progress.
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