Team India will be facing Pakistan in their T20 World Cup opener and they will be eager to start their tournament on a roaring note, burying their defeat against the same foe a year back in Dubai. However, the T20 World cup isn’t just about one game. It is a long tournament that will need the team to be at the peak of its mental and physical strength.
Before Team India hits the yard, we will have a quick look at the strengths, weaknesses and most importantly the x-factors that can shape India’s campaign. This is however, chalked purely on the basis of recent performances and if you have any other opinion, we are always listening.
# India’s strong points
India will be riding high on their batting unit that stars the likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma leading the charge. The trio is one of finest batting set-ups across the cricketing fabric and the kind of belligerence they are known for, can be a deciding factor for the Men in Blue. However, India’s major talking point will be their middle-order.
A middle-order that features the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik, is undoubtedly the best in business. Surya has been in terrific form and he can be an absolute game-changer with his 360 degree cricket. Hardik has been in terrific form ever since his return and Dinesh Karthik undoubtedly has taken the definition of finishing to the next level.
# Vulnerabilities
India’s major concern will be their bowling unit. With Bumrah not being in the side, they will have to prise out the best from Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami. Death bowling has been a persistent concern and even albeit Arshdeep doing his fair bit in the final overs, yet he will need someone to provide the brick and mortar in the 19th.
There may be a shuffle that can witness Arshdeep coming in the 19th over while Shami, if used can very well bowl that final over, especially after his success against Australia in the warm-up match. With all said and done, if India fails to come up with an answer to this conundrum, the consequences are too ghastly to discuss.
# X factor
India’s game-changing x-factor in this tournament has to be Hardik Pandya. He has delivered like a man possessed and the kind of numbers that he brings to the contest will make him a top contender of the tournament’s best player. Given the bouncy surfaces of Australia, Pandya is the perfect fit for his short balls. He is also an eminent player of the short balls and can dispatch them across the ropes conveninently.
