CHENNAI: A month has passed since millions of Indian hearts were broken in the World Cup final. While fans can take their time to sulk in the loss, it is not the same for the players who were in the middle of it all. Nor is it the same to the administrators. The professional commitments are such that several players from both India and Australia had to take the field in the T20I series less than 100 hours after the summit clash.
Such is the cutthroat nature of the sporting world that they have to shift focus, prepare, plan and train based on what lies ahead. And for the next eight months with T20 World Cup in June, all teams would be turning their attention to the shortest format. Which is why, even as the Men in Blue take the field in Paarl on Thursday hoping to win the three-match ODI series against South Africa, the result would not matter much.
For starters, India do not play another ODI until they travel to Sri Lanka in July 2024. And that is not all. Those three ODIs in the Island Nation will be the only series the Indian team plays in the format through the year according to the men's FTP. Three 50-over games in 12 months pretty much sums up the significance the format holds for the team and the administrators. During the course of 2024, T20s will be the focus in the first half and Tests in the second.
India have three T20Is against Afghanistan, IPL and the T20 World Cup followed by six games in the format against SL and Bangladesh. The calendar is predominantly dominated by ten home Tests followed by a five-Test series in Australia which is expected to begin in late November. Going by the schedule that is available at the moment, it is hard for the players and team management. And it would not be fair to judge players by what they have done or do in the third ODI in Paarl on Thursday, especially with the team looking at transition in the format as well.
However, there have been some highlights in the white-ball leg of this ongoing South Africa tour. B Sai Sudharsan has emerged as one of the stronger contenders for the opening slot going forward in the 50-over format. Arshdeep Singh impressed in Johannesburg, while Kuldeep Yadav continued from where he left in the World Cup.
Then there is the rise of Rinku Singh. At the same time, the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson who might not have done enough, too, cannot be judged harshly, for the next time they have a chance in the format would be in July 2024 and things could look very different in terms of form and player pool. That being said, if you ask the players, for them, every time they turn up in blue jersey it matters and they want to do well for the team.
On Thursday, it will be one last chance for the pool of players who are in the scheme of things for the ODI format to make an impression that stays for a long period of time.