India had an underwhelming outing in the ongoing ICC T20 world cup. Even though it is not explicitly knocked out of the tournament, the chances of it making it to the knock-outs look slim and non-existent. It will be miraculous if India happens to make it. However, that will still not make up for the fact that India did underperform in the tournament.
It needs to introspect and analyze where it went wrong. The current set of players, who were rated so highly have failed to deliver on the expectations.
India could line up with new faces when it comes to pace department against New Zealand
Post this tournament, India is all set to play New Zealand in a home series. It will be a mix of T20I and tests. With Rahul Dravid officially set to take over the role of India’s coach and post-analysis of the world cup debacle, we may be in for certain structural changes in the team selection. New faces may come in and the new coach may take a different approach. There is a chance that bowlers who have made intermittent appearances for India may be recalled.
We look at 5 new options that India could explore for the upcoming series against New Zealand.
1. Mohammed Siraj
Arguably India’s most improved bowler in the last couple of years. From going for tons of runs while playing in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore to being their best death bowler in this year’s IPL, Siraj has come a long way. He was tremendously useful in the chances he got in Australia and England. He could be an excellent addition in both, tests as well as T20I teams. He is fast and swings the ball both ways. This could possibly be Siraj’s break-out series.
2. Thangarasu Natarajan
Natarajan or Nattu as he is fondly referred to had a dream outing in the 2020 season of IPL. Basis his performance in the IPL, he was picked for India’s tour to Australia where he made a lasting impression in the limited-overs games. As luck would have it, he played the last test because of injuries and made significant contributions. He has battled multiple injuries post that and has been out of action for a long time. However, the home series against the Kiwis could be a brilliant opportunity for him to come back into the limited-overs fold.
3. Umran Malik
The young sensation from Kashmir seems to have made the Indian cricketing fraternity excited with raw pace and sheer brute aggression. He regularly clocked more than 150 kmph in the 2021 IPL. He played only 3 games in the IPL but has shown ample potential. He can be tried by India in the T20Is as a genuine speed gun and he could be a trump card.
4. Shardul Thakur
Considering Hardik Pandya’s underwhelming performance in the world cup, Shardul can be tried in the T20Is. He has also become a fantastic test cricketer. His performances in the England series just went on to consolidate his reputation as a credible all-rounder. He scored two 50s in the fourth test and broke crucial partnerships in a precarious situation. He is touted as the “partnership-breaker” and also carries the vibe of being able to make things happen on the field when nothing much is happening.
5. Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep seems to be the find of the 2021 IPL season for Punjab with his overall performances. He has played 10 games in the 2021 season and in these games he has picked up an astounding 16 wickets. He has been extremely economical bowling at 7.71. He has been the attacking option whenever Punjab is looking to take a wicket. With the momentum in favor of Arshdeep, he could be an excellent option for India in the T20Is.
