Team India retains familiar faces ahead of the T20 World Cup. Will the Men in Blue quench their thirst of winning an International trophy since 2013?

After an underwhelming end to the Asia Cup 2022, the BCCI announced the roster for the upcoming T20I series against Australia, South Africa and the T20 World Cup to be held in October. Before the Blues head to the land down under for the World cup, they are set to face the Aussies and the South Africans respectively in home conditions, which can be considered as a good preparation ahead of the mega event.

 The selectors have appeared to trust the tried and tested names and there are no fresh faces as such. There is an immense amount of experience and potential in the team but their recent performances speak a different story.

The BCCI on September 12 announced a 15 member squad with 4 standbys for the T20 world Cup. Other than a few incomings, the selectors have kept the squad similar to what we saw at the Asia Cup. Premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is set to make his comeback after recovering from a back injury whereas Harshal Patel has also been included in the team possibly due to his effectiveness in the death overs.

TEAM INDIA SQUAD FOR T20 WORLD CUP

Let me share Team India squad in the below format for T20 World Cup 2022 in the below format:

One title 🏆
One goal 🎯
Our squad 💪🏻#TeamIndia | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/Dw9fWinHYQ

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 12, 2022

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HOW DOES THE TEAM LOOK?

Team India has no shortage of match winners. There is enough firepower to out-perform other teams but questions have been raised over their levels of consistency. India’s final tie against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup saw Virat Kohli score a century that had been eluding him since 2019. His unbeaten 122 off 61 balls was his first century in the T20 format that arrived in the most unexpected time. Virat Kohli also ended the Asia cup on a high-note as he was the second highest run scorer in the tournament but can he capitalize and continue his scoring spree is a question yet to be answered.

The struggling side of the Middle order was exposed yet again in the Asia Cup. Inconsistent and below average performances from Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya saw India head out of the Asia cup earlier than anyone would have expected. However, the BCCI decided to retain the core and they will hope for better performances from the Middle order.

For the bowling department there aren’t many changes as well. Senior pacer Jasprit bumrah and Harshal Patel will join Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh. Indian Skipper Rohit Sharma will be happy to have Bumrah and Harshal patel back as he will look to put a full stop in the amount of runs India concedes in the death overs – a concern that costed the Men in blue from securing a spot in the Asia Cup Final. Australian pitches are known for their pace and bounce something that Bumrah and Arshdeep can capitalize on. Deepak Chahar and Mohd. Shami’s exclusion from the main team has also raised a few eyebrows as they find themselves among the reserves. Ravi Bishnoi who performed really well in the Asia cup will also be among reserves as Yuzvendra Chahal, Ashwin and Axar Patel are expected to trick the opposition with their skills.

Another factor that can come back to haunt India is the absence of All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Not only will team India miss his Batting-bowling, but his efforts and dedication as a Fielder will also be missed. India will begin their World Cup campaign against neighbors Pakistan on October 23.          

This year with Rohit Sharma at the helm, India will look forward to take one step forward and put their hands on the trophy that they last won in 2007. Rohit Shamra’s T20I Captaincy record has been quite impressive – winning 26 out of 31 matches with a winning percentage of 83. 87. Sharma is the only captain to win 5 IPL trophies as captain and he will look forward to keep up with the repertoire he has built for himself. 

Also Read: WATCH: Delhi Police trolled Pakistan players after missed catch in Asia Cup finals 2022