CHENNAI: Just a tad short of 10 months since they exited the 2021 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, India – with a different attitude and approach – are back again in Dubai for the Asia Cup. Of course, much has changed since then. There is a new captain, a new head coach and over the past 10 months have shown the world, they can play in a different gear and are not just one-dimensional.
For a team that struggled to set the tone while batting first, they have done a course correction, often pushing their limits. They have rotated their players; have brought in role-specific players who could give them an extra edge over the opponents; have scored quicker (9.24 runs per over) in the last 10 months than they did between 2016 T20 World Cup to the 2021 World Cup, where they scored only at 8.66.
Their average runs per wicket has declined by 1.49 runs, which shows the batters are taking more risk than before, yet getting the desired results. Their strike-rate which was 135.95 between the last editions of the World Cup has now gone up to 143.49 while batting first. Which is why, with another T20 World Cup around the corner, there is newfound belief and hope.
Since the last T20 World Cup, India have gone from a set template to having a more flexible one which has seen them use Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardrik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik – all in squad for Asia Cup beginning Saturday – who all have brought a much needed different approach and attitude that was lacking in T20Is.
And yet, when India walk out for their opening match against Pakistan on Sunday, their top seven could be the same: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar, Pant, Jadeja, Pandya. But more importantly, India will retain the same top three, who not too long ago, were seen as one-dimensional anchor batters weighing the team down. Among the three, since the last World Cup, only skipper Rohit has played more matches and has been keen on setting the tone early by being an enforcer at the top. Rahul hasn’t played a T20I since November and Kohli has played only four. And barring any significant changes, India will have the same top-three for the T20 World Cup Down Under.
They have invested heavily in this approach over the last 10 months and have carefully invested in their resources. But how well their top three – who are yet to be tested together – respond at the Asia Cup will give answers to India if they want to make any changes ahead of the World Cup. In the past Rahul has shown he can more than just be an accumulator and be aggressive at the top, but he has seldom done it on a consistent basis. Kohli, on the other hand, has never been the aggressor per se, but against England showed he is willing to play a game that he isn’t entirely used to.
Come Sunday, the pressure invariably will be on these two, particularly because, in their absence, the likes of Suryakumar, Hooda and Karthik have done more than enough to make a strong case for their inclusion in the XI. Out of the three, only Suryakumar is assured of a place in the XI. By keeping Rahul and Kohli in the top three, India have reposed their faith in them, whether that works or not, the next fortnight will tell. Over to Dubai.