Breaking Down India’s Squad for the T20 World Cup 2024: Can They Win?

Following KKR’s resounding victory in the IPL, India is preparing for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. They have fallen in Group A of the competition with their bitter rivals Pakistan, Ireland, and co-hosts Canada and the USA. Before facing Pakistan in one of the most anticipated matchups of this T20 World Cup, India played their opening game on June 5 against Ireland at the recently built Nassau County Stadium in New York.

 

India has recently announced their squad for the tournament and it’s phenomenal. With Rohit Sharma as the captain and Rahul Dravid as the head coach, the chances of India winning the T20 World Cup this year are indisputable, check sport betting Zambia for exciting offers and promos during the biggest tournament in this modern format of cricket.

Squad Analysis of India Ahead of the T20 World Cup

The team the Indian Cricket Board selected for this T20 World Cup is packed with 5-star players and plenty of alternatives for both bat and ball. However, the question at hand is whether all these forces are aligned and moving in the same direction or not because that would definitely affect their performance and odds of winning the tournament.

 

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj

The Problem Part: Bowling with 4 Spinners

The surprise in the team selection is the absence of a fourth seamer or pacer. Many would have liked Sandeep Sharma on the team, or Avesh Khan as an option. The fact that there was no fourth seamer on the team still stands out. They swapped it out for a spinner following Rohit Sharma’s vision.

 

This decision indicates that India has assumed the pitch conditions in the USA, and the selection of three spinners suggests a clear strategy for the tournament that Rahul Dravid has envisioned. Two of the spinners are all-rounders so there’s flexibility on that part. Rohit Sharma might opt for a combination of Jadeja and Axar with one wrist spinner, or Jadeja or Axar with both wrist spinners, depending on the pitch conditions.

With so many spinners on the team, Hardik Pandya must play the main role in the pace-bowling department. With Bumrah and another pacer (likely Arshdeep Singh) forming the core pace attack in every game, Hardik Pandya will need to step up as the third pacer and bridge the gaps in between.

The World-Class Batting Squad

On the batting side, the top six batters need to be strategically arranged by Rohit, opening with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma is a solid choice. Suryakumar Yadav could bat at three, it is clear that the board expects Shivam Dube to play a crucial role in the middle order, and make use of his height compared to Rishabh Pant in that position. Following him in 4th, Rishabh Pant at five, and Hardik Pandya at six creates a balanced middle order.

However, this raises the question of where to place the only other genuine number four batter, Sanju Samson. This lineup creates a conundrum regarding Rishabh Pant’s position in the batting order, potentially pushing him to a less optimal spot.

Conclusion

Several Indian players, including seasoned pros Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav, may still suffer from IPL disappointment and it is the Indian Cricket Board’s duty to make sure players are emotionally and physically fit for the pitch. India won the first rendition of the T20 World Cup in 2007 in their golden era and they can once again recreate it if they are united and able to play as one unit.

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