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The much-awaited ICC title has eluded the Men in Blue once again as they crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2022 after a pulverizing defeat against England. It is time for India to go back to the drawing board and bring about a radical change in their approach in the shortest format. For that, they may need to make some tough calls as they cannot afford to be myopic in their vision anymore.
Rohit Sharma is no doubt among the greatest T20 batsmen India has produced. However, he will be 37 at the time of the next WT20 edition. Being in the twlight of his career, the chances of him leading the side for the 2024 edition seem bleak. India need Rohit to be at his best for the 2023 ODI World Cup and for the remaining WTC games.
Hence, India should pass on their leadership role to Hardik Pandya, who has proven himself to be a leader in the IPL. Although KL Rahul is the designated vice-captain, Hardik has shown that leadership comes to him more naturally and is the perfect man to lead India in the future.
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Here, we will take a look at 15 players that should form the core of India's T20 side post T20 World Cup 2022.
#1 Hardik Pandya (c)
Hardik Pandya has been absolutely indispensable to the Indian T20 team since he started bowling after his injury. He is a man for big occasions and has always stepped up in crunch games when the push has come to shove. These performances certainly make him a deserving candidate for the leadership role.
In the IPL, he has proven his captaincy credentials by leading Gujarat Titans to the title in their maiden season when many believed they did not have the best team on paper. He is the ideal candidate to be India's next T20I captain after Rohit Sharma.
#2 KL Rahul (vc)
KL Rahul has been a force for India at the top. With age on his side, Rahul will continue to remain in contention for the opening spot. When on song, he is a class player to watch. Rahul's name will certainly be discussed when it comes to India's T20 leadership post Rohit Sharma.
However, his personal form has been running hot and cold of late. In such times, the captaincy will put added pressure on him. Hence, it would be best for him to play second fiddle to Pandya like he has been doing for Rohit throughout the 2022 WT20 build-up.
#3 Virat Kohli
After a long two-year slump, Virat Kohli discovered his lost mojo ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022. At 34, he looks extremely fit to play for India in all formats for the next few years.
Having given up the leadership role, playing as a pure batsman has taken a lot of pressure off his shoulders and Virat will continue to remain as a seasoned campaigner to guide the youngsters in T20Is going forward.
#4 Ishan Kishan
The Mumbai Indians southpaw is looked upon as a bright prospect in the shortest format. Ishan Kishan has already demonstrated his firepower in his short international career so far.
He is not afraid to take on the bowlers right from the word go and that is something which is missing in the Indian top order right now. Kishan has immense potential and, if given a long rope, could cement his place in the team very soon.
#5 Rishabh Pant (wk)
The maverick left-hander is one of the most difficult players to stop on his day. Rishabh Pant possesses firepower combined with fearlessness like no other when he gets going. However, he has never been allowed to settle in one for India in T20Is due to constant chopping and changing.
Having played at No.5 and No.6 previously and not making a huge mark, the opening spot might just be ideal for Pant and it is a chance worth taking.
#6 Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav may already be among the greatest stroke-makers in Indian cricket history. His range of shots and ability to pierce any corner of the field is extraordinary and comparisons to AB de Villiers are already being made.
Since his T20I debut in March 2021, he has parlayed his game to a whole new level and will continue to remain a vital cog in the Indian batting unit in the future as they build the team for the next edition. Being 32, he still has a few years of good cricket left in him.
#7 Sanju Samson (wk)
The Rajasthan Royals skipper has made giant strides in his career in the last couple of years. These days, he is getting a taste of international cricket more frequently and is coming of age.
Samson is the ideal back-up wicket-keeper option and can fill any spot in the top order. His presence offers a lot of flexibility and having shown maturity, he will be required to fill bigger shoes in the future.
#8 Axar Patel
Axar Patel has recently been a regular at the No.7 spot recently. Being a left-arm spinner and left-handed batsman down the order, he perfectly fits Jadeja's bill. His biggest strength is accuracy, which is another similar trait.
Being 28, he has age on his side and can replace Jadeja for the all-rounder's spot. There is no looking beyond Axar in terms of a quality spin-bowling all-rounder.
#9 Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar has had a start-and-stop career so far, either due to injuries or team combinations. However, he is likely to be looked at as a permanent member of the side from now on.
He is a very effective powerplay bowler and can also nail good yorkers in death overs. He possesses abilities with the willow that can yield useful runs. He has already given glimpses of his talent and India would want to see more of that in the future.
#10 Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar is a street-smart cricketer with all-round abilities that any side would love to have. In the T20s, his role is primarily to bowl in the powerplay and bat lower down the order.
India have not found a reliable spin bowler to bowl in the powerplay, which means they have to use more overs of the fast bowlers. Sundar's presence will allow the captain to save his best bowlers for the death overs.
#11 Jasprit Bumrah
Arguably India's greatest T20 fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah will be back as the spearhead of the fast bowling attack once he is back from injury. He is still relatively young and has his best years ahead of him.
He has a lot to offer, especially in the shortest format. India will need a bankable bowler like him to turn to when things go haywire as they invest in the younger crop in fast bowling.
#12 Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzendra Chahal has been the leading wicket-taker for India among the spinners in this format. Despite his record, he was unable to find a place in the playing XI in the last two T20 World Cup editions. In 2021, he was omitted from the squad and in 2022, he was not picked in a single game despite being in the squad.
A crafty customer like Chahal has to be the leader of India's spin bowling attack. Since he doesn't play test cricket, his skills should be fully utilized in limited-overs formats.
#13 Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh has been a mainstay in the bowling line-up throughout 2022. He has bowled in all stages of the game and has shown wicket-taking ability at every stage. He will be an integral part of the bowling unit going forward.
Being a left-armer, he provides variety to the attack. India will need a player of his caliber while seizing crunch moments.
#14 Umran Malik
The SRH tearaway pacer took the world by storm with his brutal pace in IPL 2022. At his best, he even touched 157 kph. Many cricket experts wanted him to be fast-tracked into the Indian team.
He made his T20I debut in Ireland in June 2022. However, he has struggled with the downside of having an extreme pace i.e. leaking runs. However, Umran can be a great asset for team India if he can control the runs and the management should invest in him by giving him ample chances.
#15 Ravi Bishnoi
The star of U-19 World Cup 2020, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, was drafted into the senior Indian team immediately following his U-19 and IPL success. Bishnoi is the kind of bowler who attacks the stumps with googly as his potent weapon, just like Rashid Khan.
Being just 22, he has a very bright future for India. The team management should start looking at him seriously as a frontline spinner.
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