Does India’s T20 WC squad lack vision?

The squad has been named, and all the best to the boys. But the selectors could’ve bolstered their chances by remembering what 2007 taught Indian cricket.

India established itself as the T20 capital after a refreshingly young side led by MS Dhoni pulled off an astonishing win in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. It was a moment in history that sparked the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008, and the tournament has continued to grow in financial heft with cricket’s biggest global names making a beeline to it every summer. Since then, leagues have sprouted across the world, but IPL remains the biggest cat in town.

MS Dhoni and Joginder Sharma were part of the winning T20 World Cup side in 2007 (Twitter)

The Indian T20 team, however, have not been able to match the glorious high of 2007. Since then, they have won no T20 title, and the closest they have come was in 2014 when they lost the final against Sri Lanka. One reason for this is that the biggest lessons from the 2007 triumph — picking horses for courses and giving a shot to younger players — seem to have been forgotten. So much so that performances in IPL — it offers a steady stream of new players every season, especially batters weaned on power-hitting — appear to weigh less than reputations built over years across formats.

On Wednesday, the Indian selectors named a side filled with established stars, many of whom failed to make an impact in previous editions of the T20 World Cup, rather than opting for players hungry, buzzing with energy, and eager to push the envelope in a still-evolving format. So, when you go with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as the main batters, Hardik Pandya as the principal pace-bowling all-rounder, and a fast-bowling attack of Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh to complement Jasprit Bumrah, you’re betting for assurance over abandon. These are method picks for a format that requires madness — particularly at a time when 200-plus totals are becoming the norm and Kohli’s high run aggregate at a relatively low strike rate may be costing his team (Royal Challengers Bangalore are in last place in this year’s IPL) rather than helping their cause. The squad has been named, and all the best to the boys. But the selectors could’ve bolstered their chances by remembering what 2007 taught Indian cricket.