"Shouldn't see some faces again in next T20 World Cup" - Virender Sehwag

Former Indian batter Virender Sehwag wants the Indian cricket team to undergo a drastic transition for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Sehwag's comments were made in the aftermath of India's disastrous semi-final exit in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Jos Buttler-led England, the eventual champions of the showpiece event, thrashed the Men in Blue by 10 wickets in Adelaide.

The humiliating loss shell-shocked the Indian team, their supporters, and their quest for an ICC title, since the 2013 Champions Trophy triumph, will stretch to a at least a decade with the 50-over World Cup scheduled for October of next year.

#TeamIndia put up a fight but it was England who won the match.

We had a solid run till the semifinal & enjoyed a solid support from the fans.

Scorecard ▶️ bit.ly/INDvENG-SF2-T2…

#T20WorldCup | #INDvENG https://t.co/5qPAiu8LcL

Indian openers KL Rahul (128 runs in six matches) and Rohit Sharma’s (116 runs in six games) underwhelming performances, particularly in the powerplay overs, were some of the major drawbacks in India's ordinary T20 World Cup campaign.

India managed to score only 217 runs in six matches in powerplay overs at an average of 24.11. India's strike rate during the field-restricted overs was 95.85. Only Zimbabwe and the Netherlands struggled more in the powerplay overs than India.

The selection of veteran players like Ravichandran Ashwin and Dinesh Karthik over youngsters like Rishabh Pant and Yuzvendra Chahal garnered a lot of attention. Pant got to play a couple of matches, including the semi-final against England, however, Chahal watched India's campaign from the sidelines of the ground.

While recommending changes for the next T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA, Sehwag told Cricbuzz:

"Look, I don't want changes in the thinking process or anything else but I do wish for changes in the team. In the next World Cup, you shouldn't see some faces again."

Sehwag cited an instance of MS Dhoni's young team winning the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007. The former Indian explosive opener, who was part of India's jubilant campaign in South Africa, said a young T20I team for the future is the need of the hour.

"In 2007 a similar pattern was adopted. Those who were playing from so many years didn't go there (in South Africa). And young players went and there was no hope from them," Sehwag said.

"When India plays the next T20 World Cup, we would want nobody to have any hopes that this team can win but this will be the team for future. If you think about the future today, then you can prepare the team by then. You have two years to examine and there are some senior players whose performances are not up to the mark and they might not play the next World Cup," he added.

"The question is whether changes will take place or not" - Virender Sehwag on change in selection committee

There is uncertainty over the Chetan Sharma-led selection panel, formed in December 2020, to continue for the 2024 T20 World Cup. East Zone selector Debasish Mohanty is likely to step down from his role once his cumulative tenure of four years is completed in the next few months.

Speaking on how the change in the selection committee will result in team selection for the next T20 World Cup, Sehwag said:

"It is the decision of the selectors but the only problem is whether the same selectors will be there for the next World Cup (T20). If there are new selectors then there will be some different thinking. So the question is whether changes will take place or not. But in the next World Cup, if you go with the same players and mentality, the results will be the same."

India are currently playing New Zealand in six white-ball matches (three T20Is, three ODIs) in their own backyard. The tour kicked off on Friday, November 18, with the first T20I at the Sky Stadium in Wellington.