T20 World Cup 2022: The stage is getting set, the time is ticking fast and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 is inching closer to begin. 16 teams will have a go at each other to stake their claim for the title in Australia. The Indian team is also gearing up for the mega challenge with the T20I series first against Australia and then against South Africa. The men in blue have probably ticked a lot of boxes but there is certainly one thing that the team will want to improve as quickly as it can.
India's death bowling has come under the scanner for a few outings. The Asia Cup 2022 was a testament to that and the recent T20I series have also not been kind to the team's death bowling.
India has also dealt with injury blows in the meantime. Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the Asia Cup 2022, while Mohammed Shami was also rested for the two bilateral series as he was infected with Covid-19. The young pace guns Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar, and Harshal Patel had to do the lion's share with Bhuvneshwar Kumar also not being at his best.
However, the seamers have leaked runs in recent matches. Take the example of the 2nd T20I against South Africa, where India scored a massive total of 237. Though the Proteas were never in the chase completely, David Miller took the bowlers to the cleaners. Proteas scored 65 off the final four overs as India managed a 16-run win. In the 1st T20I against Australia, India leaked 57 runs in 3.2 overs as Australia chased 209. In the crucial matches of the Asia Cup Super four stages too, India failed to defend targets against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In most matches, Indian bowlers have done well in the start and the middle part of the innings, but it is the death overs that seem not in complete sync for men in blue.
Many experts and even captain Rohit Sharma have acknowledged that the Indian team needs to focus more on death bowling. After taking an unassailable in the ongoing series against Proteas, Indian captain Rohit Sharma shed light on India's bowling yet again. "The team wants to play and bowl in a certain way and we want to give them that confidence. Yes, we have not bowled well at the death in the last five or six games. We are doing the same to the opposition as well. To bowl and bat at the death is very tough. That is where the game is decided. It is not concerning, but we need to pick ourselves and get our act together." Earlier also, Sharma has claimed that there bowling is currently what needs more focus than batting.
Ajay Jadeja recently said that India got away with the second game against Proteas as they had a huge amount of runs in their bank. He added that this win will create doubt in the team that what will happen when the batters don't score over 230. However, the former Indian batter Jadjea added that the bowlers should back themselves as they finally managed to get away with the win.
The Indian team looks good in many departments but this is one department where adding strength is required. With doubts over Bumrah's participation in the World Cup, it will give even more tough planning time but some bowlers can surely get the act together.
