IPL stars; T20 World Cup duds - 5 reasons behind India's lack of success on world stage

When South Africa hosted the first twenty20 World Cup in 2007 the hit and giggle format was still in the experimental stage and was seen more as a carnival than a sport. It was yet to catch the imagination of the Indian audience, which form the bulk of crickets viewership, as India had, until then, played a grand total of one twenty20 international.It was only after the unexpected success in the tournament of the young Indian team under new skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni that the popularity of twenty20 cricket soared in India and the IPL was conceptualized. Now players are making careers solely in the twenty20 arena and in many cases an IPL contract has replaced a spot in the playing XI of the national test team as the 'holy grail'.India has since become the most sought after twenty20 destination and, with a dedicated two months window for twenty20 cricket in the season, the Indian players play the newest format of the game more than anyone else.But strangely, the experience of playing in the IPL has not proved beneficiary at the world stage. In fact, since the inception of the IPL, India has participated in three T20 World Cups and on all three occasions has failed to make it to semi final stage.Here is a look at fivepossible reasons that have led to Indias failure at the world stage.

#1 Not enough international matches

Though Indian cricketers play a lot of T20 matches, they have played very few games as a team. The fact that amongst the top eight Test playing nations, India has played the least T20 internationals, hasn't allowed the team to gel as a unit and hence there isn't much cohesion.

Also, there might be a sense of uncertainty regarding the specific roles of certain players. While Suresh Raina and Ajinkya Rahane bat at the top of the order for their respective teams in the IPL, they are most likely to be used as finishers in the Indian set up. While Rohit Sharma has had tremendous amount of success batting in the middle order for the Mumbai Indians, he is expected to open the innings for India.

Though an individual heroic at a crucial juncture can decide the outcome of a twenty20 game, it is still a team game where lack of clarity about the role of each member can prove detrimental.

#2 Bowling woes

The slam bang version of the game was said to be the batsmen's game. The bowlers, it was believed, will be reduced to mere props.

But over the years it has emerged that teams with strong bowling attack tend to be more successful. As bigger bats, shorter boundaries and the fast nature of the game have enabled batsmen with suspect techniques and lesser ability to be quite effective, the difference ultimately boils down to strength of the bowling attack.

In such a scenario, India's bowling inadequacies get magnified. Unlike in the 50 over format, where the middle overs are relatively quiet and allow the captain to get away with a few ‘weak’ overs, the premium is high on each delivery in the Twenty20 format. Bowlers who lack variation or struggle to execute the plans under pressure get thoroughly exposed.

While teams with a weak batting line up but strong bowling unit have managed to hold their own, teams with non performing bowlers have struggled. It is no coincidence that Pakistan, which boasts of a world class bowling attack, has been the most consistent team, having made it atleast to the semi-final stage of each edition of the premier event.

#3 Unfamiliar territories

Indians have always been poor travelers and had troubles in adjusting to the demanding overseas conditions. In the shortest format too the old weakness has haunted the Indian batsmen, particularly in the second and third edition of the tournament which were held in England and the West Indies respectively.

Since the first World Cup in South Africa, the Twenty20 game has evolved a lot and bowlers have learned that there is enough time to attack the batsmen. It isn't only about restricting the batsmen with yorkers anymore as well directed short deliveries, especially at the beginning of the innings, can put serious dent in the opposition line up.

Bred on the low and slow pitches that are available at the end of the season for the IPL, the Indian batsmen struggled to cope up with pitches that had relatively more bounce and subsequently the Indian team failed to register even a single win in the super 8 stages in consecutive editions in England and the West Indies.

#4 Sense of familiarity

Though the IPL gives the Indian domestic players an opportunity to rub shoulders with cricketers of the highest calibre, it has also allowed other teams to peek into the Indian reserves. Now a new player that breaks into the Indian team is, more often than not, a well known face in the Premier League.

The Twenty20 format is an ideal platform for unknown players with unconventional methods to burst on to the scene and make immediate impact, but the IPL doesn't allow the Indian team the luxury of springing surprises. There isn't the sense of novelty that the likes of Yusuf Pathan, Joginder Sharma and Rohit Sharma had in the 2007 edition.

#5 Captaincy matters

When India takes the field along with arch rivals Pakistan to begin their World Cup campaign, skipper MS Dhoni will be leading the team for the fifth time in a T20 World Cup. The experience of a world title and the success with the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL make Dhoni's track record as a twenty20 captain enviable.

But over the years, the sheen has slowly but surely worn off. A skipper who was initially lauded for his unconventional methods and instinctive moves is now derided for being too predictable. At the slightest hint of aggression from the batsman Dhoni goes into the damage control mode which invariably lets the opposition take control of the game. His preference to play the waiting game and reluctance to attack has often been questioned and has emerged as an area to improve.

Given the current form India certainly don't start the tournament as favorites. But the quirky nature of twenty20 cricket is such that it doesn't necessarily follow the conventions and on a given day any team can steal the show. Moreover, the conditions in Bangladesh will not only be favorable to the Indian batsmen but can also prove ideal for the spinners to exploit.

Remember, India’s only twenty20 title triumph came when almost no one gave them a chance.