Unlike the team that put an end to the cricketing powerhouse’s protracted quest for an ICC crown in Barbados 19 months ago, the current India side exudes an air of invincibility and is an unstoppable force in the shortest format.
After years of lagging behind in the shortest format, India eventually established a successful T20 blueprint thanks to the courageous play at the top of the order by Rohit Sharma, the captain of that T20 World Cup-winning team.
It’s safe to conclude that the current group has improved upon that strategy and elevated India’s T20 game. It seems that the only thing that can keep them from winning the trophy at home is a really awful day at work.
The victorious campaign in the Caribbean included eight players from the Suryakumar Yadav-led team. Despite the absence of Rohit and Virat Kohli, the team quickly moved on from the superstars due to the depth of Indian cricket, even though all-rounder Hardik Pandya has remained the team’s unifying factor.
Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy, who presently top the ICC batting and bowling rankings, have been added to the national side since that comeback victory over South Africa in the 2024 final in Barbados. Tilak Varma, who matured during the Asia Cup last year, is also a welcome addition to the team. As a batter and bowler, Shivam Dube, who participated in the 2024 edition, is currently fulfilling his potential.
Two front-line pacers are Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana, who has recently shown promise with both bat and ball, is a capable backup. After an incredible comeback series against New Zealand, Ishan Kishan, who was unexpectedly included in the World Cup squad as a backup wicket-keeper batter, is sure to open in the lung-opener against the USA.
Despite Sanju Samson’s poor form at the top of the order and a raiding Abhishek Sharma, the series’ domination against New Zealand served as a warning to the opposing teams.
India enter the World Cup as the top six-hitting team (10.99 balls per sixes) and has accumulated the most totals of 200 or more (20) since October 2023, to put their dominance in perspective.
Abhishek, who has pushed the limits of T20 cricket with his incredible six-hitting and strike rate, deserves most of the credit for that. Compared to his teammates, his strike rate of 194.74 is significantly higher.
With two days till the first match against the USA at the Wankhede, the management has little work to do aside from handling the Sanju Samson dilemma. It has also been evident that if Arshdeep and Bumrah are both on the team, Kuldeep Yadav would struggle to make the XI.
