Nasser Hussain, the former England skipper, feels that “any side can defeat” India in the knockout stage of the ICC T20 World Cup, owing to their lack of plan B and the uncertain nature of the shortest format of the game.
India has looked in fine form in the run-up to the tournament, having defeated heavyweights England and Australia in the two warm-up games prior to the group games in the 2021 T20I World Cup against Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia. Their players also have the required match practice under their belts, thanks to the recently concluded IPL 2021.
Nasser Hussain: Anyone Could Upset India In Any Knockout Game Due To The T20I Format Being Unpredictable
Against England in their first warm-up game, chasing a target of 189, India reached 192 for three in 19 overs. Openers KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan were in brilliant form. KL Rahul smashed 51 off 24 deliveries, and Ishan Kishan retired after playing a knock of 70 runs off 46 balls.
In their second warm-up game, India thumped Australia by nine wickets with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav (38), all getting some runs under their belts. Australia’s bowlers captured only one wicket, with spinner Ashton Agar removing opener KL Rahul. Rohit Sharma (60 retired off 41) showed sublime touch alongside opening partner KL Rahul (39 off 31) as India chased down Australia’s 152 for five in 17.5 overs.
“They are favourites. I wouldn’t say clear favourites simply because of the format. The shorter the game, things can happen,” Nasser Hussain said.
“… an individual brilliance of 70 or 80 or three deliveries suddenly changes the other away around. So anyone could upset India in any knockout game,” Nasser Hussain said.
Nasser Hussain also highlighted India’s poor track record in the knockout stages of recent ICC events. India’s last ICC title came under the leadership of M.S. Dhoni in 2013 when they defeated England to lift the Champions Trophy.
Since then, India has been knocked out of the semifinals in the 2015 World Cup, 2016 T20 World Cup, and the 2019 World Cup while finishing runner-up at the 2017 Champions Trophy and the inaugural World Test Championship earlier this year.
“Their record of late in the ICC tournaments is not good and that’s something they are going to have to deal with — with the weight of expectations of the Indian audience and fans heavy on their shoulders — when they get to a knockout game, all of a sudden you cannot afford a mistake and that’s going to be a thing for them.”
Nasser Hussain feels that India doesn’t have a plan B when their top-order fails in a knock-out match.
“When they get to a stage — you look at the last World Cup against New Zealand — and suddenly it’s a low-scoring game and they don’t have a Plan B. They got rolled over a very good New Zealand side. So that’s going to be an issue for them,” Nasser Hussain said.
“The other problem with India is that they are so good at the top with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and K.L. Rahul boss games and the middle order hasn’t had much of a hit. You get to a knockout or final and suddenly they are at 30 for 3 because the standard has gone up and the middle order hasn’t had a hit and you go now you need to do it,” Nasser Hussain added.
The India squad for the T20 World Cup remains top-heavy, with Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja likely to make up the lower middle-order and unable to inspire a great deal of confidence. Hardik Pandya averages less than 20 despite playing 49 T20Is and managed only 127 runs averaging a pathetic 14.11 at a strike rate of less than 115 in IPL 2021, and hasn’t bowled in IPL 2020 and 2021.
Hardik Pandya is in indifferent form, while Rishabh Pant has not been able to translate his Test success into T20Is, averaging just 21.33 after 33 matches. Ravindra Jadeja has batted only six times in T20Is since the start of 2019, but India was forced to go ahead with the experienced trio due to the lack of expertise of other players vying for selection.
Ravindra Jadeja’s last T20I was in 2020 against Australia, where he scored an unbeaten 44 before being concussed and missed the next few T20Is.
Nasser Hussain: India Has Some Of The Greatest White Ball Batsmen As On Paper They Have Every Base Covered
The former England cricketer said Virat Kohli-led India also needs to deal with the burden of expectation on its shoulders which arises because of the tremendous talent in the side.
“When they get into a knockout game all of a sudden they can’t afford any mistake and that’s because on paper they have everything. They have some of the greatest white-ball batters. Depth in the batting got the fast bowlers and the mystery spin and a mentor on the sidelines in M.S. Dhoni.”
“These are the areas India have to focus on. On paper, they have pretty much every base covered,” he added.
The 40-year-old MS Dhoni’s new role as a mentor of Team India is limited to the T20I World Cup. MS Dhoni is the most successful captain in white-ball cricket with all 3 ICC titles – 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy- in his cabinet. He’s led IPL franchise CSK to victory in the IPL in 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021.
While captain Virat Kohli has lauded the appointment of ‘mentor’ MS Dhoni, opening batsman KL Rahul said he is looking forward to learning from the World Cup 2007 (T20I) and 2011 (ODI) winning former captain once again.