India began the 2021 edition of the ICC T20 World Cup as favourites to take the trophy so their exit at the end of the group stages is a considerable shock. Opening defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand left Virat Kohli’s men with too much ground to make up and their elimination was confirmed as the Kiwis defeat Afghanistan.
Kohli now steps down as T20 captain but is this Indian squad in need of an overhaul? The players are seen as heroes back home but should cricket supporters view them dispassionately and look for replacements moving forward?
Looking Ahead
The good news for India is that another T20 World Cup is just around the corner. With the sporting calendar having been decimated throughout 2020, the original tournament which had been scheduled for Australia has now been postponed until 2022.
Once the 2021 World Cup has finished, the betting markets will be reset and odds for the 2022 tournament will be published. Despite their poor showing in the UAE, it’s almost certain that the best betting sites affiliated with Sbo.net will put India among the favourites once again.
The markets will then adjust in response to major T20 internationals that are played around the world. Sbo.net will continually update those numbers while publishing news and opinion articles related to the cricketing world in general.
It’s a useful platform for cricket fans and also the betting community who are able to sign up with any of the recommended panel of bookmakers. There are welcome packages in place plus ongoing promotions while the sportsbooks offer a choice of funding methods with which to get the account started.
India will attract interest in those markets but will the addition of the following players help to boost their chances in 2022?
Shikhar Dhawan
He’s not exactly a new face but many will surely feel that Shikhar Dhawan’s omission from India’s 2021 World Cup squad was a mistake. He may be 36 but the left hander has top scored in international and domestic T20 tournaments and he still has a lot to offer.
We can understand why the selectors went for the younger Ishan Kishan but experience has a big part to play in major tournaments and Dhawan might just have helped to overturn those early defeats.
As 2021 comes to a close, Dhawan has nearly 9,000 runs in this format with two hundred plus a strike rate and an average that are hard to ignore.
Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer has also enjoyed a taste of international cricket but has been unable to hold down a regular place so far. He was injured at the start of the IPL back in April but had recovered to full fitness and many thought he was unlucky not to squeeze into India’s World Cup plans.
He’s not an explosive batsman like Shikhar Dhawan or Rohit Sharma but he can accelerate as his innings builds. In 157 T20 matches prior to the World Cup, Iyer had scored 4150 runs with two centuries and a best of 147.
Sanju Samson
India are unlikely to drop their current wicket keeper Rishabh Pant but he is one of the batsmen under pressure following a poor World Cup. If that run continues up to the next tournament in 2022, the selectors may well want to take another look at Sanju Samson.
Inconsistency has blighted Samson’s career but he developed greater maturity at IPL 14 after being installed as Rajasthan Royals’ new captain. He’s only played 11 matches for India and his tally of 163 runs is a poor one but his record at domestic level is much better and he deserves another chance.
Washington Sundar
It’s not all about the batsmen: India’s bowlers have been put under pressure in the tournament, taking just two wickets in those opening defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand. Spin has always been an effective weapon and it seems certain that Washington Sundar will get another chance to impress.
He’s featured for the full national side in the past and, had he not been injured for the second phase of the IPL, Washington may well have been featured in the current World Cup squad.
