What to make of this new Indian T20 side? They are a young bunch playing fearless and dominating cricket. The World Cup final loss for India was by no means easy for the home side. Now, after the World Cup, a new team of youngsters is emerging, and the talent pool has enough depth to create a formidable unit before the next World Cup.
However, there is a long journey to be traveled. The good thing about these young boys is they are fearless and not afraid to take the game on. We’ve seen it in the last three T20Is against Australia. The Indian batting order has been outstanding, and the bowling, particularly the spinners, has improved as the series has progressed.
The Batting Prospect Looks Amazing
Both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal have played their roles quite well. They have a different approach to the game, but it is a positive sign for the Indian cricket team. Yashasvi can be attacking from ball one and doesn’t miss any opportunity to score runs. So, as long as he stays at the crease, runs will keep coming.
Gaikwad, having a different approach, produces the same result. He knows when and how to accelerate, with a substantial temperament allowing him to play long innings. Obviously, being modern and with all the IPL experience, it doesn’t take much time for him to change fortunes. So, while Jaiswal provides a prolific start, Gaikwad can certainly carry forward the momentum.
The middle-order lacks experience in the absence of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, but so far, so good for India. Particularly because the top order is doing a good job, reducing the pressure on the middle-order, which can play more attacking cricket in the last 8-10 overs when the foundation is well set for a big score.
India Moving Ahead with Quality Finishers
The T20 game is evolving, meaning it will be more batter-friendly in upcoming years. So, consistency might not be the most sought-after attribute, but rather the ability to change the game in the space of 4-5 overs. Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, and Tilak Varma, all three can make the difference between 200 and 230 in a high-scoring game.
The prospect of Indian T20 batting looks promising, full of promising young talents seasoned in the pressure cooker of the IPL, where they have learned how to finish games. In T20Is, how a team finishes its innings becomes very important, and in 90% of the cases, the finishing element is the difference between the winning and losing side.
For years, MS Dhoni did the finishing job for India. After him, the role kept juggling from one player to another. Now the management has discovered that you are not going to get incredible consistency with these players, so they have started to draft players like Rinku Singh, who is a gem of a cricketer.
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In future times, these players will only get better so will Indian T20 side. They are full of confidence and they know which bowler to target, how much they can amass, and at what stage they have to go berserk. In terms of preparations, the T20 World Cup 2024 doesn’t look far away.
There is some work needed because the big players aren’t taking part in these matches. India is yet to play South Africa and Afghanistan before they play the IPL; then, obviously, the T20 World Cup comes. It is still unclear if all big players will play the World Cup, and if they do, it is going to be the last for them.
It could be better to trust these youngsters if that is the case. Nobody is denying the importance of experience in cricket, and T20 cricket has such a nature that you can win it by being gutsy and always pressing. A team needs some x-factor players because T20 is a highly competitive game, and more often than not, a special effort is required by members of a team.
