India's T20I template: Objects in the mirror are weaker than they appear
Hardik Pandya's statement after India's 3-2 loss against West Indies in the recently concluded five-match T20I series left many fans frustrated.
"We have enough time to figure out. Losing is good at times," said Pandya.
West Indies hadn't even qualified for the previous edition of the T20 World Cup and many feel a bit agitated that the Men in Blue couldn't secure a series win against their potentially weaker opponents.
While there is indeed no shame in losing to two-time T20 World Cup champions, it is the manner of defeat that has raised concerns amongst many.
India's T20I skipper for the series, Pandya, did say that there is enough time to figure out the problems. But is that true? India will now be fully focused on the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup until December, which gives them just about six months to plan well for the showpiece event next year in the Caribbean.
Under Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, there was a lot of chopping and changing in the T20I setup, the result of which was seen in the T20 World Cup. To add to that, there was also a lack of clarity in the role designation for players like Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, and Deepak Hooda.
The selectors appear to have made their mind up that the new-look Indian side for the shortest format would go into the next T20 World Cup with a more carefree attitude under the leadership of Hardik Pandya. However, defining specific roles in the T20 format is a rather important task, something India doesn't appear to have solved yet. It could prove to be a rather costly mistake come next year.
This raises a pretty apt question - Was replacing some players from the previous T20 World Cup the only change that India needed to succeed? The answer, so far, seems to be a resounding no.
The finisher conundrum
India seem to be uncertain about who their finisher in T20Is will be. After moving on from Dinesh Karthik post the 2022 T20 World Cup, the Men in Blue still seem to be searching for that proper No.6 batter who would just come in and explode from ball one.
Hardik Pandya, for his IPL franchise Gujarat Titans, has enjoyed decent success at No.4. Ever since his comeback from injury, Hardik seems to have become the player who likes to take a bit of time in the middle before going berserk. Thus, him batting at No.6 doesn't seem to be a good solution in the shortest format and the numbers tell the story.
Since the beginning of 2023, Hardik has an average of just 14.20 in the death overs and a strike rate of 133.96. Out of the 53 balls that he has faced during overs 16-20 in T20Is, 19 of them have yielded no runs, more than one-third of the whole figure. Team India did try Sanju Samson down the order, but that has not worked either. This is an area in need of immediate attention.
Batting depth and making tough decisions
Kuldeep Yadav walking out to bat at No.8 in the first T20I against the West Indies showed all one needed to know about India's batting depth. The likes of Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar and particularly Yuzvendra Chahal too are those who aren't really known for contributing with the bat.
The West Indies, on the other hand, had Akeal Hosein walking out to bat at No.10. Teams like England and Australia have also had such incredible batting depth, making it unsurprising why they hold the previous two T20 World Cup titles.
Yes, it is important to not compromise bowling in an attempt to stack up the batting. But if the goal for the Men in Blue is to play an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket, they need to have some cushion down the order which gives the batters that freedom to go and express themselves from ball one.
India will need to take a decision about such players who can contribute only in one department and weigh the pros and cons of it with respect to the team balance. The likes of Chahal, who aren't well-known for their fielding and batting, need to be extraordinarily good with the ball to make it to the T20I XI.
If the Men in Blue continue to judge players just on reputation, there may come a knockout game next year where they would regret not having a No.8 who could provide some lusty blows down the order. With Arshdeep, Kuldeep and potentially even Jasprit Bumrah being a part of the T20I setup, finding a No.8 will have to be a priority.
Why the Ireland tour is important for India
India are set to play three T20Is against Ireland from August 18 and many are excited to see the return of star speedster Jasprit Bumrah. While that is a crucial factor for the Men in Blue as far as the ODI World Cup is concerned, there might be some surprises waiting for them from the T20I point of view.
The series against Ireland could potentially see the debut of Rinku Singh as well as Jitesh Sharma. The duo have made a reputation as proper finishers through sensational performances in domestic cricket as well as the Indian Premier League.
The aforementioned problems in the finisher's role make this an absolutely vital series for both these cricketers as they could be the missing piece India is looking for (the role of a finisher).
The likes of Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Ahmed could also be aware of the batting depth issue that was seen in the West Indies. They too have an opportunity to prove their mettle and get into the T20 World Cup plans.
Ravi Bishnoi is another player who the Men in Blue can bank on in the shortest format. He is a good fielder and handy with the bat as well. Bishnoi has been in and out of the T20I side and could potentially get the chance to silence his critics in this series. Rahul Dravid and Hardik Pandya won't be on the tour, but they will be keeping an eye on the games as they could find some answers to their woes.
Eventually, with all the resources available, it becomes the responsibility of the captain and the coach to channel them well and get the best out of them. Hardik has tasted success as a captain in the IPL, but there have been some moments where his bowling changes have baffled many in the cricketing fraternity.
One such moment was when he didn't give Chahal his fourth over during the second T20I. While 'It is okay to be unique' in his own words, Hardik has been vocal about his admiration for MS Dhoni and will want to understand the latter's principles of 'keeping things simple'. When India are in control of a game, fewer out-of-the-box decisions from the captain could be the key to success.
There's no clarity whether Rahul Dravid will remain India's coach during the Australia T20Is as his contract ends after the ODI World Cup. However, if his tenure is extended, he has a crucial role to play alongside Hardik to address the issues as soon as possible. They just cannot afford to leave it late and make the same mistakes as they did in 2022.
If India ends up winning the T20 World Cup next year, the T20I series loss against West Indies could be a pivotal moment as it would have certainly taught some tough lessons to the team management about what's needed in those conditions.
Hardik has said that he wants to keep on learning and this is probably the most important learning curve in his captaincy career so far. Only time will tell whether the learnings are put into practice in their journey because the T20 World Cup is just like an object one sees in the rearview mirror of the car - closer than it appears.