After India’s disappointing performance in the 2022 T20 World Cup, there were discussions on whether or not new players and strategies should be introduced to the T20I squad.
After India’s disappointing performance in the 2022 T20 World Cup, there were discussions on whether or not new players and strategies should be introduced to the T20I squad. After the World Cup, many outlets reported that Hardik Pandya would be given more opportunities to lead the Indian T20I team. In the meantime, former India coach Ravi Shastri has proposed rotating in some younger players for the T20I team as part of the ongoing discussions. Potential for Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Hardik Pandya at No. 3, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Verma, and Jitesh Sharma, an extremely new team from the previous World Cup, do they make the top 6? was a question posed in an ESPNCricinfo debate.
Then Shastri chimed in, “Absolutely if they have to consider along such lines, they should be blooding them right now. The likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are tried and true. But I’d lean that way, so they can gain experience and exposure while you rest the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for one-day and Test matches. With your level of expertise, you should shift your attention to Test cricket, specifically red ball cricket, in preparation for the upcoming World Test Championship. It’s remarkably close to where Sachin, Rahul, and Sourav were, as well as where Laxman was.
Another panelist then asked, “Does it become tricky, if Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma say that ‘we still feel we are up to playing T20’?”
Form matters. A year is such a long period. Conditioned athletes are a plus. The shape can vanish if desired. You’ll pick the best people at that time, and experience and fitness will follow,” Shastri said.
With the way the youngsters are playing, Shastri said, it shouldn’t be a surprise if they get more playing time. The way those kids are playing with such an air of superiority and assurance, the door is going to get slammed in. The previous India head coach suggested that the team be faced with them in the first available T20 series.
