Millions of Indians who were in deep melancholy after India’s one-sided defeat against Pakistan till some days back would now be heaving a sigh of relief after the arch-rival’s victory over New Zealand. Had Kiwis beat Pakistan then it would have been mission impossible for India in the T-20 carnival in the Gulf region. At present, the equation before India is simple: win all the remaining matches in the group stage. If India flounder in any encounter from now on then they can easily kiss goodbye to their T-20 World Cup campaign, unless and otherwise Afghanistan, Scotland or Namibia pull off a major upset against Pak or Kiwis. However, Afghanistan and Scotland are very much capable of springing surprises against anyone, including India. So, for India all the games from hereon become knockouts.
Kiwis Ahead of India in WC Clashes
Coming to the vital match against Kiwis, there is nothing to separate both the teams in the shortest format as in the 16 T-20 encounters India and New Zealand have won 8 games apiece. But, in the last few World Cup encounters, Black Caps had the better off India in both ODIs and T-20s. In fact, India lost both their T-20 WC matches against New Zealand in 2007 and 2016. Also, in the match against Pakistan, Kiwis put up a better fight compared to India, who were beaten hands down by the arch-rival on October 24. So, India cannot afford to relax going forward and there are several issues mandating immediate redressal.
The Hardik Conundrum
The most important matter for India right now is the puzzle surrounding Hardik Pandya, is he fit or not? The effervescent all-rounder was brought into the world cup mix at the expense of some prolific players. But now the question is: if he is not fit enough to bowl his quota of overs in the T-20s, then does he merit a place in the squad as a batsman, that too at No.7? The Baroda player brings nothing to the table as a batsman lower down the order and with fitness issues plaguing him Shardul Thakur looks a better bet with his two-dimensional abilities. So, for India to get the team balance right Thakur should be brought into the mix as he can use the long handle to good effect and get the ball to swing as well.
The Infamous Middle Order Woes
The other issue is the brittle middle order for if Rohit and Rahul get dismissed cheaply, as was the case in the Pak encounter, Kohli is left with a herculean task to execute. Whether it is Rishabh Pant or Ravindra Jadeja, no wise person will ever put the money on these blow-hot-blow-cold players. So, bringing in Ishan Kishen would not be a bad idea to give Kohli some breathing space if India lose early wickets. Even in the spin department, India can try out the experience of Ashwin for some matches rather than risk upon a greenhorn like Varun Chakravarthy. If dew is going to be a factor, as was evident in the game against Pakistan, then it would be better to opt for a wrist spinner like Rahul Chahar, who will not face the problem a finger spinner would with the wet ball.
Pick the Right XI And Remember The OZ Series
Hence, for India, the road ahead in the T-20 World Cup is quite tricky and they need to pick the appropriate playing XI to move ahead in the tournament. Kiwis have their own version of captain cool in Kane Williamson and with helpful resources such as Devon Conway, Martin Guptill, Trent Boult and Tim Southee they can cause a lot of headaches and challenges for India. Also, Team India cannot take Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia lightly. Therefore, the Men in Blue have no option but to bury the humiliating defeat and unleash the beastly instincts they showcased in Australia after the Adelaide horror in 2020-21.
