Mumbai : Four months ago, India were celebrating their second consecutive T20 World Cup victory under Suryakumar Yadav, built on aggressive but calculated cricket. Today, they are found in strange territory. The 125-run defeat in Nottingham – India’s heaviest defeat by runs in T20 Internationals – was more than just another loss. Chasing 202, he was dismissed for 76 in 11.4 overs, to a fourth successive defeat after a shocking 0-2 defeat in Ireland. Captain Shreyas Iyer termed the show as “ugly and unacceptable”.Head coach Gautam Gambhir has called the squad a “rehabilitation” after a major change in personnel. Iyer replaced Surya as the captain, in the absence of key players like Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. But change alone cannot explain the magnitude of the decline. India’s inability to adapt to foreign markets has been equally worrisome. TOI it looks at the objects behind the slide.
Captaincy is under review
Iyer’s tenure got off to a rough start. His batting returns – 3, 10, 68, 37 and 5 – have been inconsistent, while the strategic decisions have raised questions. The promotion of Axar Patel and Harshit Rana ahead of Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube in the third T20I suggested the idea of ​​searching for answers rather than sticking to a plan.
IPL hangover?
India’s batting looks more suited to IPL cricket, where the flat pitches offer constant brutality. In England and Ireland, where the movement of the seam requires patience, they persisted in playing the most dangerous game, which resulted in repeated collapses. Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan have shown promise but have struggled to make a difference.
The Samson-Sooryavanshi problem
Dropping Sanju Samson after a score of 5, 0 and 1 in favor of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is also under scrutiny. The youngster’s 14 and 13 figures show the difficulty of exposing him to external challenges early in his career.
Unnecessary articles
Fear of being killed
Ravi Bishnoi’s blistering run at Old Trafford where he smashed 60 runs and bowled three back balls, shows India’s struggles.Meanwhile, coach Gambhir’s eagerness for change is understandable. But good reform requires clarity.Meanwhile, India seem to be caught between two identities – trying to emulate the fearless cricket of their World Cup-winning team with nothing to make it work.
