3 Team India players who will be keen to overcome a disappointing IPL 2022 season
Following the conclusion of IPL 2022, Team India are now gearing up for the five-match T20I series against South Africa at home. The first game of the series will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Thursday, June 9. The Men in Blue have begun their preparations for the T20Is against the Proteas.
On Monday (June 6), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video of Team India’s training session in Delhi ahead of the opening T20I. The Indian cricket board also uploaded pictures from the team’s practice session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
The likes of all-rounder Hardik Pandya and keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik have earned a recall to the Indian team on the basis of their impressive performances in IPL 2022.
3 Team India members who had a poor IPL 2022
While Hardik and Karthik used IPL 2022 as a comeback vehicle, a few other players had disappointing campaigns for their respective franchises. Let’s look at three Team India cricketers who will be keen to overcome a disappointing IPL 2022 season during the T20Is against South Africa.
#3 Venkatesh Iyer
There were high hopes from Venkatesh Iyer following his memorable IPL 2021 campaign for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He was one of the key reasons why KKR reached the final last year.
Brought into the playing XI for the second half of the edition in the UAE, Iyer hammered 370 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 128.47. He got the team off to a number of solid starts, easing the pressure on the middle order.
First practice session ✅
Snapshots from #TeamIndia's training at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. 👍 👍
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Disappointingly, the 27-year-old was a shadow of the aggressive batter we witnessed last season. In IPL 2022, he managed only 182 runs in 12 matches at an average of 16.55 and a strike rate of 107.69. His only half-century of the edition also came in unconvincing fashion.
It did not help that Iyer was shunted up and down the order. All said and done, though, it was a forgettable tournament for the talented southpaw.
#2 Axar Patel
The usually dependable Axar Patel had a below-par tournament for the Delhi Capitals (DC). The left-arm spinner, who is a proven match-winner, managed only six wickets in 13 matches at an average of 53.50 and an economy rate of 7.47.
He never looked like a threat with the ball and his ineffectiveness had a severe impact on DC’s IPL 2022 campaign. Axar did play a couple of impressive knocks with the willow, but his batting was always going to be a bonus. If you compare his numbers to IPL 2021, Axar took 15 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 20.40 and a brilliant economy rate of 6.65.
Not only was he among the wickets, but he also stifled the batters with his tight line and lengths. When both aspects of Axar’s bowling are in sync, he is at his best and extremely dangerous as well. This clearly wasn’t the case in IPL 2022.
#1 Rishabh Pant
If Axar was poor, DC skipper Rishabh Pant was one of the biggest disappointments of IPL 2022. No, he wasn’t out of form, but the aggressive left-hander just couldn’t stop himself from throwing his wicket away after getting a start. Pant and Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson were literally competing when it came to gifting away their wickets.
Pant scored 340 runs in 14 IPL 2022 matches at an average of 30.91. He had an impressive strike rate of 151.79, but he did not have a single fifty to show for his efforts. The left-hander’s performance was in stark contrast to his efforts last season, when he notched up three fifties but had a below-par strike rate of 128.52. It is important for the 24-year-old to strike a balance between the two facets of his game as it is affecting the fortunes of the team.
Back in Blue - Prep mode 🔛
#TeamIndia begin training in Delhi ahead of the 1st T20I against South Africa.
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The series against South Africa will be significant for Pant in the wake of Karthik’s comeback to the Indian team. The maverick left-hander remains the first-choice keeper-batter for the T20 World Cup in Australia later in the year. However, equations can change quickly if 'DK' has an amazing run in the build-up to the ICC event and Pant’s struggles carry on.
We have seen the Indian selectors pull off surprises in the past, so Pant must take his place in the team for granted at his own peril.
Also Read: India’s playing XI from their first-ever T20I against South Africa - Where are they now?