India hasn’t won an ICC title in eleven years and hasn’t won the T20 World Cup in seventeen. They usually play like the favourites and enter every event as one of the favourites, but there is never a trophy in the cabinet. Though it has been a tale of “so close, yet so far,” the team is full of superstars and match-winners who are bound to take home the championship.
After a heartbreaking loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, players such as Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, among many others, departed with tears in their eyes. Since they haven’t seen success in almost ten years, the players are eager for it, even though the format is different this time around.
They are under a great deal of pressure as well. It won’t be an easy feat, either, since the Men in Blue haven’t won the T20 World Cup since the IPL’s founding. The players would find it more challenging because they are not as accustomed to the playing conditions in the United States and the West Indies and because they played primarily on flat tracks during the IPL.
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But they adjust quickly, which is a huge plus. India would need an anchor in the competition; therefore, Kohli should be well-suited to the conditions. The 35-year-old Indian batsman was attacked throughout the IPL for his strike rate, but he also demonstrated his ability to accelerate when needed. Since the games in the USA and the West Indies aren’t anticipated to be high-scoring contests, the veteran hitter will be crucial.
The way that Rishabh Pant and Shivam Dube are playing will also instill confidence in the followers. Their ability to play spin will be crucial to India’s success. Bowlers Yuzvendra Chahal had a strong start to the IPL 2024 but lost steam in the latter stages, while Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav were outstanding.
As it stands, the circumstances are not ideal for the Indian team. Many worries exist that might ruin their campaign and possibly eliminate Team India before it even starts. In 2007, nobody anticipated that the team would be eliminated from the group stage, yet they were. The head coach, Greg Chappell, had a falling out with senior players, and the team was claimed to be split in half.
While there isn’t a fallout narrative like there was in 2007, there have been rumours of animosity between Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya since the latter took over as the Mumbai Indians captain. The five-time winners finished bottom of the league as a result of it in 2024, and supporters are hoping it won’t make its way into the Indian roster.
Regardless, India has a competitive team that is capable of winning the championship. Here are some explanations for why they can win their second World Cup as well as potential obstacles on their path.
Attention to Detail
Numerous veteran cricket players in the team are now driven to win the trophy. It is now up to them to correct their mistakes and finish the project since they are aware of what has to be done and where they went wrong in the past. The squad needs skipper Rohit to continue setting the example as he did during the ODI World Cup 2023. Few teams will be able to stop India if he can establish himself quickly and perform like the best Rohit Sharma.
Regarding Virat Kohli, the same is true. For more than ten years, he has been India’s greatest asset, yet he is probably out of luck when it comes to trophies. The fact that the hitter from Delhi emerged as the top scorer in the 2022 T20 World Cup, 2023 ODI World Cup, and IPL 2024 speaks volumes about his current state of play. Most significantly, he can perform consistently under duress, making him an incredibly crucial component of the Indian squad.
Batters that are aggressive are grouped in the middle rank. The other four batters, who are probably Suryakumar, Dube, Pant, and Pandya, are capable of stealing the match from their opponent on their day. But they must remain constant. While Pandya had an extremely disappointing season, Dube had a strong IPL start before collapsing badly towards the end. The management of the team must deal with these issues.
Jasprit Bumrah is a bowler who has the correct cadence. He had an incredible IPL season, and if he can maintain this kind of form, India would be a very formidable team. Wave magic awaits the return of Kuldeep and Chahal, the spin pair.
Achilles’ Heel
Ahead of the major tournament, the form of several players does not appear to be good. IPL players Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dube, and Chahal saw a decline in form, while Pandya and Jadeja enjoyed a fairly typical season. Save for his century against Chennai earlier in the competition and his sixty-eight against Lucknow in their last league match, Rohit Sharma was also not at his best. In order for India to win the championship, these are some key players that must recover.
An additional crucial element is the setting of the changing rooms. Should the rumours prove to be accurate and Rohit and Hardik really have a disagreement, it might cause issues for the duration of the competition. Though these occurrences shouldn’t happen at a competition of this kind—both cricket players are highly experienced—they might ruin India’s campaign if they do. The all-rounder, meanwhile, has a medical history of ailments. It’s an additional thing that team management needs to be aware of.
Mohammed Siraj is one of the bowlers that needs to improve; otherwise, Arshdeep could take his spot in the starting lineup. Due to an injury, the club will also be without the services of Mohammed Shami, their outstanding bowler.
The Crowning Moment
This is presumably India’s final opportunity to win an ICC trophy. Since there is no guarantee for tomorrow, nobody can predict if Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja will compete in the T20 World Cup in 2026 and other competitions. The threesome, along with others, will do all it takes to take home the trophy, keeping that in mind. They would be driven, which is advantageous since winning a competition requires motivation.
The Perfect Storm
Fans have high expectations, and the athletes have to live up to them. Furthermore, any niggle that any of the major players, especially Bumrah and Pandya, who have a history of ailments, get can be costly.
They have Pakistan, Ireland, the United States, and Canada in their lineup, so getting into the Super 8 shouldn’t be too difficult. However, things could become tricky from there. There has to be action taken because the Men in Blue have a history of giving up when things get tough.
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