A Look At Team India’s Form, Top Performances, Key Talking Points Ahead Of T20 WC

Despite the talks around strike rate and lack of great pace bowling options, Team India is heading into the ICC T20 World Cup starting from June 1 with the most series wins and fine performances under their belt.

India will start their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

Here is a look at Men in Blue’s form and statistics, since their T20 WC semifinal loss to England by 10 wickets in November 2022, ahead of the campaign:

-India tour of New Zealand (2022)

India won the rain-effected three-match T20I series under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya by 1-0, with the highlight being a knock of 111* in 51 balls by Suryakumar Yadav in the second T20I and four-wicket hauls by Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj in the third rain-affected T20I.

-Sri Lanka tour of India (January 2023)

India won this three-match T20I series by 2-1 to kickstart the home season with a bang. The highlight of this series was once again, a knock of 112* in 51 balls by Suryakumar in the third T20I and some fine all-round performances by Axar Patel.

-New Zealand tour of India (January-February 2023)

Yet another fine series win for India by 2-1, coming back after being 1-0 down in the series. The highlight of this series was a fine 126* in 63 balls by Shubman Gill, the batters’ first T20I century in the third T20I and a fine show by Indian pacers that skittled NZ out for just 66 in pursuit of 235 run target set after Gill’s ton, including Hardik Pandya’s four-wicket-haul.

-India tour of West Indies (July-August 2023)

This is the only blip in India’s T20I resume after the T20 WC. After securing the Test and ODI series, India was expected to win the T20I series as well, with a young Team India around. However, West Indies players fought really well in what was a tight, back-and-forth series to win it 3-2, winning the fifth and decider T20I match.

A major taking point of this series was the emergence of Tilak Varma, who batted with maturity and elegance beyond his age, top scoring for India with 173 runs in five matches at an average of 57.67, with a half-century.

-India tour of Ireland (August 2023)

This series served as pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback to the national side after battling injuries and he was appointed as a captain of a young Indian side in the absence of Hardik Pandya. India won the series 2-0. This series saw the international debut of India’s newest finisher and sensation, Rinku Singh.

-Asian Games Hangzhou (September 2023)

India secured a gold medal at the event, winning the gold on the basis of their seeding as their final with Afghanistan did not go further due to rain. A 49-ball century by Yashasvi Jaiswal was the big highlight from the competition.

-Australia tour of India (November-December 2023)

The series was conducted after India’s loss to Australia in the World Cup finals, with both teams fielding a young side, with the main squads being rested after the tournament. India won the series 4-1, with some fine performances from youngsters like Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, skipper Suryakumar Yadav etc. Gaikwad was the top run-scorer for India, with 223 runs in five matches with a century and fifty. Spinners Ravi Bishnoi (9 wickets) and Axar Patel (6 wickets) also delivered some fine performances.

-India tour of South Africa (December 2023)

Team India travelled to South Africa under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav. The series ended with a 1-1 draw as one match could not be played due to rain. A fine 68 by Rinku Singh in the first T20I and a fourth T20I century by Surya in the second T20I along with a five-wicket haul from Kuldeep Yadav were major highlights, performance-wise.

-Afghanistan tour of India (January 2023)

Afghanistan’s first international series against India marked the return of veterans Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma to the T20Is after the team’s loss in the 2022 WC semis. India won the series 3-0. The highlights of the series were twin half-centuries from Shivam Dube, a scorching fifth T20I century by Rohit, a knock of 121* in 69 balls, with 11 fours and eight sixes in the final game, some stunning fielding by Virat and a cameo of 29 in 16 balls that displayed his new, attacking attitude.

Some talking points for India heading into the tournament:

-Red-hot form of Virat Kohli (741 runs in 15 games), Jasprit Bumrah (20 wickets in 13 matches) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with the rise in former’s strike rate and six-hitting being a big highlight.

-Poor form of all-rounder Hardik Pandya (216 runs and 11 wickets in 14 games) in the IPL and diminishing of his finishing/six-hitting abilities

-Skipper Rohit Sharma’s (417 runs in 14 games) disappointing strike rate of just 127.84 against spin in IPL 2024 and six dismissals in the tournament. He also had a very inconsistent run in the tournament.

-Bowlers like Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh (19 wickets each), and Mohammed Siraj (15 wickets) are among the wickets in IPL 2024, delivering some fine performances but are prone to inconsistency and erratic line and lengths.

-Absence of a proper, consistent finisher in Rinku Singh in the squad of 15.

Top performers for India during this phase:

Suryakumar Yadav: 857 runs in 20 matches and 19 innings at an average of 53.56 and a strike rate of 161.39, with three centuries and five fifties, best score of 112*.

Yashasvi Jaiswal: In 17 T20Is for India, Jaiswal scored 502 runs in 16 innings at an average of 33.46 and a strike rate of 161.93, with a century and four half-centuries. His best score was 100.

Arshdeep Singh: Leading wicket-taker for India, with 33 wickets in 25 matches at an average of 23.09 and an economy rate of 9.10, with a best of 4/37.

Kuldeep Yadav: 15 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 14.33 and an economy rate of 13.50, with a best of 5/17.

Rinku Singh: 356 runs in 15 matches and 11 innings at an average of 89.00 and a strike rate of 176.24, with two half-centuries and best score of 69*.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj

Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan. (ANI)

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