Its variety of bowlers makes India favourites

FOR A COUNTRY of India’s size and depth of cricketing talent, there will always be robust debate whenever the national squad is selected for a big tournament.

- Tushar Bhaduri

India have been almost unstoppable in T20 cricket even before winning the World Cup 18 months ago, with match winners invariably emerging at opportune moments.But still, the form and fitness of individual players have prompted speculation as to the strongest combination India can field.

Shubman Gill, the Test and ODI captain, has missed the bus for the T20 World Cup, as a result of form and fitness deserting him at an inopportune time, even as skipper Suryakumar Yadav has much worse numbers over roughly the same period.

Not that it has prevented India from dominating all comers. In Abhishek Sharma, they have found an opener against whom every side has struggled for answers. As long as he is at the crease, the scoring rate is not a worry. He may get out early, like any other batter determined not to take any prisoners, but the left-hander has ensured his is arguably the most prized scalp in T20 cricket of late.

There is still more than a month to go before the World Cup is staged in India and Sri Lanka, but the prospects of a successful title defence rests a lot on the initial ballast provided by the Punjab youngster.

Abhishek’s onslaught invariably ensures that the middle order can bat without the necessity of taking too many undue risks, before upping the ante in the final stage of the innings. It helps that India has the likes of Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube, all of whom are well equipped to provide the finishing kick. Among those coming before them, Tilak Varma is full of class, has all the shots and can accelerate the scoring with orthodox strokes.