Surprising that last T20 World Cup performance of India's senior batters was not a red flag: Sanjay Manjrekar
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar wonders whether the selectors could have decided to back fresh faces instead of big names for the T20 World Cup to begin next week in the West Indies and the USA. Manjrekar feels India's 15-man squad has some experienced names that didn't have a great T20 World Cup last time around.
The former cricketer shed light on the T20 World Cup 2022 semifinal against England where Rohit Sharma (27 off 28) and Virat Kohli (50 off 40) just couldn't get going and that cost the Men in Blue their chance of winning silverware.
In his column for the Hindustan Times, here's what Sanjay Manjrekar wrote about the selection criteria for the T20 World Cup 2024 that made the Men in Blue leave out Rinku Singh:
"Given that the selectors said not much credence will be given to IPL performances while selecting the World Cup squad, it’s surprising that the last T20 WC performance of the senior batters was not a red flag. The same yard stick did not apply for Rinku Singh, who would have walked into that WC squad based on his recent T20 international performances."
Rinku has played just 15 T20Is but has scored 356 runs at a fantastic average of 89 and an outstanding strike rate of 176.23. Manjrekar was a bit baffled that the southpaw didn't make it to the 15-man squad and reckons that's where they probably missed a trick by not letting these fearless players get a chance to express themselves.
Sanjay Manjrekar on India's long wait for the T20 World Cup
Despite having arguably the best T20 league in the world in the IPL, Sanjay Manjrekar stressed how India have not won the T20 World Cup since its inaugural edition in 2007. He reckons that short tournaments like these have a lot more to do with momentum than about the strength of the teams on paper.
On this, he stated:
"Unlike IPL, the T20 WC is a very short tournament, so a lot is left to chance. One wide here or there costs you the game and with it your shot at the title. Maybe it’s why we have had six different champions in eight editions.It’s not always about which T20 side is truly the greatest in the world. Sometimes, it’s about the team that had the best four weeks."
Manjrekar is hopeful that Team India gets momentum for the four weeks and that their experienced players step up and end their 11-year drought for an ICC Trophy.