India in T20s – still a work in progress

India announced their squad for the Bangladesh T20’s on October 24, with the MSK Prasad-led selection committee resting Virat Kohli, and giving the reins of the team to limited-overs vice-captain, Rohit Sharma.

The squad also saw a few new members, with Sanju Samson making his way back into the international fold for the first time since 2015, while Shivam Dube was named for the first time in the national team.

Among the bowlers, Shardul Thakur makes a comeback to the side for the first time after March 2018, while Yuzvendra Chahal finds himself in national reckoning after the ODI World Cup.

The squad seems well-balanced with a plethora of options for each position. However, the sheer number of middle-order batsmen and bowlers poses a headache for the team management.

Read: India rest captain Kohli for Bangladesh T20s

The middle-order muddle

India’s top-three of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli is probably the best in the world at the moment. They have been ultra-consistent since 2013, the first time they joined hands together at the top. Unless there is an injury to one of them, it is a no-brainer that they will bat at those positions in the T20 World Cup.

The real issue crops up in the middle-order. India have struggled to nail down a consistent nos.4,5 and 6. It is not for a lack of trying though, the issue is that very few batsmen have been able to adapt themselves to bat in those positions.

There are five candidates for three positions and all of them have varying numbers batting in each position. A glance at the table below will give you a better picture:

The team management has insisted on Rishabh Pant being their no.4 in recent times, and though the young wicket-keeper has decent numbers there, his see-ball, hit-ball approach is better suited to the death overs.

KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer seem like the perfect bets among the available options for no.4. Both like to take the time to build their innings, and can act as the anchor of the innings in case the top-order fails.

Image: AFP / Ishara S. Kodikara

Manish Pandey is a clear winner at no.5, with the numbers suggesting that he gives his best performances in that position.

However, the problem circles back to Pant, whose promotion to no.4 means that Shreyas and Pandey drop down a position, giving them the finisher role, something they do not excel at.

However, Shreyas Iyer needs to do better to justify his place in the T20I squad in the upcoming matches. India play 14 T20Is before the World Cup starts in October 2020 and he needs to be given a consistent run at no.4 to prove his worth.

With KL Rahul and now Sanju Samson also seemingly in the running for that spot, India need to sort out their batting order as quickly as possible.

Considering that Pant’s best position is no.6, it yet again throws open the debate of who the better choice is between him and Dinesh Karthik. While Rishabh Pant seems to be the wicket-keeper for now, he will be aware of the fact that Dinesh Karthik is ready to pounce in case he slips up even slightly.

Read: India 'moving on' from Dhoni: chief selector

The all-rounders

India have opted to go for two all-rounders in T20s in recent times at nos.7 and 8, with the Pandya brothers cementing their spots.

Hardik is currently recovering from back surgery, but he should be back before the World Cup and will no doubt be drafted into the side. Shivam Dube has been included in the T20 squad against Bangladesh in the pace-bowling all-rounder’s role but he will at best be a back-up in the World Cup squad. And even then, he has to contend with the likes of Vijay Shankar.

Krunal has been a permanent fixture in T20s in the past year, and his all-round skills make him a good fit for no.8. He has not had the best of times with the bat recently, and in case he does not improve over the course of the year, India have a ready-made replacement in the form of Ravindra Jadeja.

Image: AFP / Randy Brooks

The support bowler headache

With India’s batting running deep (till no.8), it leaves the space for just three specialist bowlers, with Hardik and Krunal being the other bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah, currently nursing a lower-back stress fracture, is a shoo-in to the team, which leaves two empty slots in the XI.

Read: Where Bumrah stands in the ‘impossible to score off’ category in T20s

Once again, the Indian team faces a problem of aplenty in this department. The candidates to support Bumrah include Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed and Washington Sundar. India are likely to go in with a pacer and a spinner.

While Bhuvneshwar Kumar seems to be the obvious choice to be the support pacer, his stock has dipped in the past year, with consistent returns eluding him. Deepak Chahar has impressed with his new ball control and has also added the yorker to his armoury, making him a good choice.

Khaleel Ahmed has not done much of note while the only thing going in Saini’s favour is his raw pace. The duo need to pick regular wickets at decent economy rates to be considered for a starting slot.

As for the spinner’s role, Washington Sundar has become somewhat of a specialist T20 bowler for India since late 2017. He has been given the new ball in the past, and his defensive lines mean that while he does contain runs, he is not able to pick up many wickets (he has 12 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 6.23).

Yuzvendra Chahal has made a comeback to the T20 squad, suggesting that Kuldeep might have been named too, had it not been for his shoulder pain. The wrist-spinners’ experience might tilt the scales in their favour but they will have to be at the top of their game to be considered the premier spinner. 

Read: Is this the best Indian Test team ever?

Featured image courtesy: AFP/ Randy Brooks