#Kolkata / #Nagpur : The road was intelligently laid out by BCCI, in such a away that when the ICC World Twenty20 knocks on the door, India had everything in order to not just host it successfully but also win it.If the home series loss to South Africa raised any concerns, it all got ‘whitewashed’ with a 3-0 win over Australia in Australia. It followed a mini scare at home in Pune where the Sri Lankans caught their surprised hosts hopping on an unusual, grass-laden wicket. But since that defeat, India have won seven T20Is in a row, 10 in last 11, including an unbeaten run to bag a record sixth Asia Cup title and a position right at the top of ICC Rankings.
But still the WT2O bigul had to be blown, and it was once again Rohit Sharma who stepped up with a masterly 98 in India’s 45-run warm-up win against the West Indies. Things got even better as Mohammed Shami, with doubts hanging over his fitness, ran in smoothly to deliver as expected of him.
The 15-member India squad has a balance to envy – with batting that can put any attack to shame, spinners who are expert at suffocating batsmen, pacers enjoying sunny days, as many as six multi-utility players and fielding that can lift the team. And all this marshalled by a skipper with his bag full of tricks.
#MSDHONI, the only skipper to win every ICC trophy – WT20 in 2007, World Cup in 2011 and Champions Trophy in 2013, might be at the fag end of his career having already quit Tests, but there aren’t many who doubt the gas left in his tank. And all the naysayers were quietened as he bludgeoned 20* in 6 balls in the Asia Cup final.
The kind of form #RohitSharma and #ViratKohli are in, it leaves little to describe the health of Indian batting. Shikhar Dhawan can be equally damaging at the top when in flow, and Suresh Raina’s T20 prowess is well known. #YuvrajSingh is the only man who hasn’t hit the straps as his fans would have liked, but hopes of a win never fade until he is at the crease. That’s the reassurance attached with Yuvi.
Ravichandran #Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are adept at applying the ‘sleeper hole’ that they made famous under #MSDhoni captaincy for the Chennai Super Kings.
What needs to be underlined in India’s title push for a second WT20 trophy is the performance of three men who have solved many a woes – Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.
Coming back at 37, #AshishNehra is bowling like a dream and ready to handle pressure situations in Powerplay and death overs. But Bumrah has come up by leaps, becoming MS Dhoni’s go-to bowler in death overs and also pairing up with Ashish Nehra to keep a tight leash on the openers.
By vouching for Hardika Pandya in the WT20 squad, M S Dhoni once again gave an example of his foresightedness as the Baroda man hasn’t disappointed – bowling with a lot of heart and batting without any inhibitions. That has taken care of the No. 7 problem, at least for the time being.
The bench is also a mix of experience and young blood – with Harbhajan Singh ready to provide spin back-up, Ajinkya Rahane capable to open as well as handle the middle order and Pawan Negi available as a spin-bowling allrounder.
The challenge for the hosts will be that none of the foreign teams are now alien to Indian conditions – thanks to the IPL stints many of their key players have had since 2007. That makes it an even playing field and the competition much harder.
As far as India’s group is concerned, they are pooled in the tougher of the two Super-10 groups alongside Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and winner of the qualifier between Bangladesh and Oman. Having said that, India have beaten Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh only recently to have an edge over them. But the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket can never be ruled out.
Still, if one were to predict, it’s hard to see India not making the semi-finals.
Squad: MS Dhoni (c/wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammed Shami, Pawan Negi
TEAM DIRECTOR | Mr Ravi Shastri
STRENGTHS | Batting, spinners, home conditions.
WEAKNESSES | Inconsistency in fast bowling.
CHANCES | Favourites to win the trophy.
FIXTURES
March 15: vs New Zealand, Nagpur
March 19: vs Pakistan, Kolkata
March 23: vs Qualifier, Bengaluru
March 27: vs Australia, Mohali
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