Indian cricket is on a decline, or so it seems. Workload management, intent, and injuries are just some of the issues plaguing the team, and despite everything, the team just doesn't look like winning a major tournament anytime soon.
At least we win the bilateral series. No? The team has now succumbed to two ODI series defeats to New Zealand and Bangladesh following an embarrassing defeat to England in the T20 World Cup semifinals. Where are we going wrong? Where is the team going wrong? Heading into the T20 World Cup 2022, ample rest was given to all the main players, and workload management was done right. Bumrah and Jadeja still injured themselves.
Intent? What Intent?
The intent was the word given all the importance post the T20 World Cup exit in 2021. Come the World Cup in Australia, all the talk faltered like it did not even exist. India had the second worst run-rate in the Powerplay overs, just above UAE.
The captain talked about playing fearlessly all the way to the T20 World Cup, only for him to have one of the worst strike rates in the tournament.
The team met New Zealand following the T20 World Cup exit and everyone expected a drastic change in India's approach. VVS Laxman, the stand-in coach, said that they will play aggressively keeping the situation in mind. Seriously? To your knowledge, aggressive is what Dhawan used to play in ODIs, attacking is what England does in Test matches.
The Sacred Communication
In spite of talking about backing players, giving them security and whatnot, players have often found themselves in a spot of bother. Only Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav seemed sure of their place in the playing 11 for the World Cup. The debate of Rishabh Pant vs Dinesh Karthik started right from the IPL and no consensus was reached even during the World Cup.
Is this the type of clarity Dravid and Rohit often talk about? Rishabh Pant was released from the ODI squad vs Bangladesh, and believe me when I say this, KL Rahul had no clue what happened with Pant. He said he had no information and was told that he would be keeping.
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This is the Vice Captain of the Indian Cricket team we are talking about. Is this the communication, sorry, clear communication the team talks about all the time? What is happening in Indian cricket?
If it wasn't for Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli, I have no clue what would have happened in the batting department. Players like Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi, Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan, and Ruturaj Gaikwad are performing and waiting, but why aren't they getting the kind of chances they should be?
All is not well with Indian cricket. Drastic changes are the need of the hour. If not, I don't really see Indian cricket going ahead to win big in the coming years.
Do you?
