The Indian cricket team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 has been announced. The team has several surprise inclusions and many senior players have been backed. The biggest update regarding this is that Ravindra Jadeja has unfortunately missed out due to a knee injury. So, what does the squad look like? What is its strength and what are its weaknesses? Here is an in-depth analysis:
Indian Team for ICC T20 World Cup 2022:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Stand By Players: Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Mohammad Shami, Ravi Bishnoi
Expected Playing XI for the ICC T20 World Cup:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Strengths of the Indian Team at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022:
The strength of the Indian team has always been its batting. The top 3 are its engine. KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli on their days can hit the ball a long way and can win you games single-handedly. The presence of power hitters like Hardik Pandya and Deepak Hooda is also a big plus. These players like it when the ball comes on to the bat and this is exactly what the pitches have to offer in Australia. Death bowling is also a big strength with Harshal Patel, Bumrah, and Arshdeep in the mix.
Weakness of the Indian Team:
The team in the first 11 will have to try to get in one more spin option. Deepak Hooda and Yuzvendra Chahal are good bowlers but is this your attacking spin bowling attack? The absence of Ravindra Jadeja is going to be a point of concern. Axar Patel needs to be roped in by altering the combination.
Opportunities for the Indian Team at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022:
Opportunities are many and are in bulk. Rishabh Pant who has been backed for a very long time has an opportunity to prove his worth in the T20 format. The absence of a left-hander in the top 4 works in his favor. Harshal Patel and Deepak Hooda are relatively new names on the global stage and will be keen on showing what they have got to the world. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have won a World Cup and Champions Trophy each but they will now be looking to win a cup when they are both a part of the leadership group.
Threats to the Indian Team:
The big threats to the Indian team are the frequent injuries of the players. The BCCI does manage workload very effectively but the players are still prone to injury. Harshal Patel and Bumrah happen to be the two top bowlers in the T20 format and both of them have undergone rehab in the recent past. Another threat is of “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” This is because there are just too many high-profile players.
Schedule of the Indian Cricket Team at the ICC T20 World Cup:
| Date | Match | Venue | Timing |
| 23rd October 2022 | India VS Pakistan | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 7:00pm (Australian Time) 1:30pm (IST) |
| 27th October 2022 | India VS A2 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 6:00pm (Australian Time) 12:30pm (IST) |
| 30th October 2022 | India VS South Africa | Perth Stadium, Perth | 4:30 pm (IST) |
| 2nd November 2022 | India VS Bangladesh | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 7:00pm (Australian Time) 1:30pm (IST) |
| 6th November 2022 | India VS B2 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 7:00pm (Australian Time) 1:30pm (IST) |
Prediction: The Indian Team will go on to play the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.
To know more go to ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Australian Team Best SWOT Analysis, Squad, Predictions, Schedule. All You Need to Know.
To know more go to the official website of the BCCI.