3 areas of concern that remain despite India's T20I series win over Sri Lanka ft. the wicket-keeper's spot
There were plenty of positives for India from their recent 3-0 win over Sri Lanka. Suryakumar Yadav's run as India's full-time T20I captain got off to a great start as his side held their nerve under pressure to secure the whitewash.
Youngsters like Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal impressed, while the spinners did their bit in favorable conditions in Sri Lanka. However, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for the Men in Blue, who need to be stuck to the drawing board as they finetune their plans in the post Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli era.
While there are plenty of encouraging signs, there are also issues that need to be addressed. On that note, here are three areas of concern that remain for India despite their T20I series win over Sri Lanka.
#3 Rishabh Pant? Sanju Samson? Or someone else?
This is an issue that has plagued India for quite some time now. They've tried out several options, including Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul and Sanju Samson, but they can't seem to find a reliable wicket-keeper for the shortest format.
The three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka didn't provide any further insight into who is the right candidate for the job. Pant struggled to time the ball in the opening game of the series, while Samson bagged ducks in each of the next two games.
While the former clearly has the backing of the team management, he's running out of time to turn his middling returns around. Samson, on the other hand, has rarely been backed to the hilt over the years.
It might be time for India to turn to options like Dhruv Jurel.
#2 What is the ideal composition of India's middle order?
Pant batted at No. 3 during the 2024 T20 World Cup, but that isn't a role that he has nailed. With Samson struggling and Suryakumar being shunted up and down from No. 3 to No. 4, it's hard to see what India's ideal middle-order composition looks like.
Things are relatively simpler when Hardik Pandya is in the mix, but there are still several slots up for grabs. Rinku Singh's form hasn't been too promising lately, while Washington Sundar's power hitting hasn't evolved enough for him to be considered a reliable lower-order option. Shivam Dube has his limitations as well.
Given the short nature of the Sri Lanka T20I series, it was tough for India to give their players a sustained run in particular roles. That is something that they will have to address going forward.
#1 The backup fast bowlers aren't too convincing
Arshdeep Singh did his bit against Sri Lanka, following on from his impressive showing in the T20 World Cup, but Mohammed Siraj and Khaleel Ahmed flattered to deceive. Both bowlers failed to be penetrative in the powerplay and in other phases.
In matches that don't feature Jasprit Bumrah, India need to find fast bowlers who can hold one end up while also producing regular breakthroughs. Siraj has proven to be an unpredictable entity, while Khaleel hasn’t seemed ready for the international level since making his comeback.
Bringing in options like Harshit Rana might be the only way for India to ensure that they have a plan in place that isn't overly dependent on Bumrah.