India finally broke the 11-year jinx of being unable to win the ICC tournament by beating South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 Final. A monumental feat for Team India in the T20 cricket history. Expectedly, the joy, excitement and nostalgia were palpable in the wake of this glorious moment that unfolded before a packed Barbados stadium chanting India, India, India…It was one team performance that will stay in the hearts of billions of Indians whose dreams of seeing their team lift an ICC tournament were constantly denied by destiny before it happened eventually on June 29, 2024.
As the country was lost celebrating this monumental occasion, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20 cricket in the post-match presentation ceremony while receiving the Player of the Match Award for his brilliant 59-ball, 76-run knock. Soon, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20s in a press conference following a thrilling win in the Final. If that was not enough, another stalwart Ravindra Jadeja quit T20 cricket.
Now that three veterans quit T20 cricket, how will India move on from here in the game’s shortest format? We at zarooribaathai.in have provided an insight into what lies ahead of the Men in Blue in T20Is. Let’s take a look.
Who Will Lead India in T20 Cricket?
The astute and calm leadership of Rohit Sharma will be missed. The ease at which he led the side under high-pressure situations to the historic T20 World Cup 2024 triumph was truly commendable. No two words about it! Now the question is – Who is the likely replacement for the leadership position? Will it be Hardik Pandya who has been the Vice-captain for India for the last two years? Or will it be Surya Kumar Yadav or Rishabh Pant? Selectors are spoilt for choices in the leadership department.
Hardik Pandya – The Front Runner for India’s Next T20 Captain
Hardik Pandya has had a terrific record leading Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in 2022 and a runners-up position in the 2023 edition. However, he didn’t have a great time leading his old franchise Mumbai Indians in 2024 as the team secured just four wins and had to bow out of the cash-rich tournament before the playoffs. The India all-rounder even faced crowd boo at Wankhede Stadium for the team’s poor showing in the IPL 2024. Barring that, he has been good as the leader in T20 cricket. Selectors should invest in him to win the next T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka in 2026.
Who Will Fill the Opening Slots Vacated by Rohit and Virat’s Exit from T20 Cricket?
Rohit has been superb as the opener in all formats of the game, including T20Is. The way he exploded against top sides – Australia and England – in the T20 WC 2024 was a treat to watch. No fear, no inhibition. That’s what you want in a T20 opener – The Power Game! At the other end, you had Virat Kohli, milking the bowlers around and opening his shoulders when it mattered. They will be missed as openers, players, and for the wealth of experience they brought to the table.
So, who are the potential replacements for these two big boots? Shubhman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma and Rituraj Gaekwad are some names. The best part is that all four have played for Team India. While Shubhman and Yashashvi have been regularly featured for the Men in Blue for the last two years, Gaekwad has been in and out of the team. Abhishek Sharma made his debut in T20 internationals today against Zimbabwe.
Does India Have a Like-a-Like Replacement for Sir Jadeja?
The only one that comes close to mind is Washington Sundar. He excels with both bat and ball. However, Sundar is not as athletic as Jadeja has been across formats. Those diving stops and executing sharp run-outs from nowhere have made Jadeja an absolute livewire. India will surely miss his services in T20 cricket.
Wicket-Keeper Batter Options for India in T20 Cricket
Here India have multiple options – Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel and Jitesh Sharma. While Rishabh Pant will likely be India’s first-choice wicketkeeper till the T20 World Cup 2026, he may face stiff competition from the others. KL Rahul was surprisingly out of India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2024 given how consistent he was for a year leading to the IPL 2024. Selectors thought otherwise. However, as Virat and Rohit will no longer play T20 cricket for India, Rahul may just come back to the fold.
Sanju Samson is an absolute superstar in T20 cricket when donning the Rajasthan Royals colours. However, he has not been able to replicate the same when playing for India. Maybe with more chances, he will start firing for India too. Ishan Kishan, Dhruv Jurel and Jitesh Sharma are good options too. Dhruv has already made a strong impression with the bat against England in the recently concluded Test series at home. However, his prowess in T20s is yet to be identified.
Bowling Arsenals for India
Bowling looks to be in good hands as pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is still young and will be available for another 3-4 years. Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, who were part of India’s triumph in T20 WC 2024, will likely play the next T20 World Cup in 2026. Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan and Ravi Vishnoi will also make a strong case for themselves soon.
Conclusion
There’s no denying the immense loss India will have following the departure of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja from T20s. However, the show must go on. The next generation of cricketers comprising Shubhman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Avesh Khan and others will take Indian cricket forward in T20 cricket. Stay connected with zarooribaathai.in for more insights on sports, finance, health, beauty, economy and women empowerment.
