As they face battle against England in the T20 World Cup semifinal on Thursday at the challenging Adelaide Oval pitch, India cannot afford to make a mistake since they are only two steps away from the ultimate triumph. England is a strong opponent.
As they face battle against England in the T20 World Cup semifinal on Thursday at the challenging Adelaide Oval pitch, India cannot afford to make a mistake since they are only two steps away from the ultimate triumph. England is a strong opponent.
A competition with such high stakes and a “winner takes it all” mentality as this one always begins on an equal keel, despite the fact that India has performed more admirably in the group stage than England has. Ben Stokes, England’s finest all-rounder, has already conceded that his side has not played their best cricket, thus the Indian squad has to make sure that Jos Buttler and Stokes do not select the semifinal to put their A game to the fore. Stokes is England’s best all-rounder.
When it comes to the results at the business end of ICC World Cup events, history has shown to be quite unfavorable for India
Since 2013, Indian teams have had trouble clearing the last two obstacles on many occasions, including the final of the T20 World Cup in 2014, the semifinals of the T20 World Cup in 2016, the final of the Champions Trophy in 2017, and the semifinal of the ODI World Cup in 2019.
Even though Rohit Sharma participated in all of those games, he was not leading the team during that time; as a result, he does not carry any baggage of disappointment with him as he approaches the most vital period of his full time leadership.
Rohit has scored 89 runs in five matches, and he would prefer to forget the physical discomfort of getting struck in the forearm. However, he wouldn’t shy away from playing one pull shot too many if a fit Mark Wood or his likely successor Chris Jordan dives it short.
The captain of India has to have a meaningful innings in this championship, and there is no greater contest that he could play in to silence his critics than a match in the semifinals.
Virat Kohli will have a struggle on his hands against his old adversary Adil Rashid, while the match-up between Sam Curran’s cuts and Suryakumar Yadav’s abilities would be an intriguing one.
Hardik Pandya, who has contributed with both the bat and the ball in a variety of games, will be able to match the all-around qualities that Stokes possesses.
As the number one team in the world, India, faces the perfect opponent in the second-ranked team in the world, England, there is a heady buildup as a result of the fascination of subplots that are embedded in the main storyline.
Fans from all around the world are hoping for an India vs. Pakistan final match at the MCG on Sunday, but critics are quick to point out that in the 1987 T20 World Cup, both India and Pakistan were eliminated in the semifinals of their respective one-day international competitions.
Chahal or Axar, Pant or DK?
The Indian side did well in the Super 12 stage, winning four games, but it was concerning to see Dinesh Karthik struggle and Rishabh Pant appear uncertain about whether to attack or defend while batting at No. 5.
Pant appears to be a more logical pick because of his shorter side boundaries and presence, but it would be fascinating to watch whether Rahul Dravid’s fixation with a designated finisher persists. Rashid’s leg break would morph into a left hander.
Similar to how Axar Patel, who has three wickets at an economy rate of 9.10, hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire, the Indian team’s management hasn’t had the guts to start Yuzvendra Chahal thus far.
Since the game will be played on one of the often utilized tracks and spin will be crucial to the result, Chahal’s participation will be crucial.
It would be good news for India if Mark Wood, the quickest bowler in the competition, is finally ruled out due to a back niggle since Jordan or Tymal Mills lack the ability to halt this lineup.
However, Stokes and Curran, who have been particularly strong for England with the ball, would rather see India bat first and chase a score in the neighborhood of 150.
A lower total will aid in reducing the strain on the scoreboard. Buttler, Alex Hales, and Liam Livingstone can chase any number on any given day, but on more significant occasions.
The par score in Adelaide would be 170, and Rohit along with Karthik or Pant would have to step up and be counted since the “law of averages” would sooner rather than later catch up to Suryakumar (225 runs) or Kohli (246 runs).
India’s squad includes skipper Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Dinesh Karthik as the wicketkeeper, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Deepak Hooda, Harshal Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Stokes, Alex Hales, Harry Brook, Phil Salt, Dawid Malan, Sam Curran, Mark Wood, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Tymal Mills, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes, and David Willey are the players for England.
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