T20 World Cup: Why did India fail? Team India’s dream of winning a T20 World Cup and ICC trophy after 8 years were shattered on Monday. Virat Kohli & Co became the first big team to crash out of the T20 World Cup in Group 2. From the questionable selection of Hardik Pandya to panicked changes in Playing XI against New Zealand, despite mentor MS Dhoni’s presence, India never hit the right button.
While India dominated Afghanistan in an easy win, it was already late and the heavy losses to Pakistan and New Zealand meant, they were knocked out of the World Cup even before playing their final match against Scotland on Monday.
T20 World Cup: 4 Big reasons behind Virat Kohli & Co’s debacle in T20 World Cup
But where did it go wrong? Was team selection the only reason or too many changes too frequently spoilt the party? Did MS Dhoni’s presence make things difficult or Virat Kohli was just unlucky? InsideSport takes a look at 5 reasons behind Team India’s shocking early exit.
IPL over T20 WC: BCCI may have dismissed Jasprit Bumrah and bowling coach Bharat Arun’s bubble fatigue claims but it was still a factor. That most Indian players have been in constant bio-bubbles for the last six months raise a valid point. But players were free not to choose IPL over T20 World Cup and that is where the problem lies. The small breaks didn’t help as too many matches took the edge away from Team India.
T20 World Cup: 4 Big reasons behind Virat Kohli & Co’s debacle in T20 World Cup
“Sometimes you need a break. You miss your family sometimes. You’ve been on the road for six months. So all of that sometimes play on the back of your mind. But when you’re on the field, you don’t think of all those things. You don’t control a lot of things, how the scheduling goes on or what tournament is played when. So obviously staying in a bubble and staying away from your family for such a long period of time does play a role on the player’s mind as well,” Jasprit Bumrah had said after India’s loss to New Zealand.
Faulty team selection: The presence of unfit and out of form Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy affected India heavily as the duo failed to deliver in big matches. He didn’t bowl against Pakistan and contributed with just a couple of overs against the Kiwis. He failed to live up to the role of a finisher.
Meanwhile, IPL star Varun Chakaravarthy, who was under the scanner for his fitness since his talks in senior-level cricket in December last year, failed to deliver big time. He was sent all over the park against Pakistan and wasn’t effective against NZ either.
T20 World Cup: 4 Big reasons behind Virat Kohli & Co’s debacle in T20 World Cup
But the likes of experienced Yuzvendra Chahal and Shreyas Iyer were omitted from the 15-member squad while Deepak Chahar was left in reserve despite good IPL performance.
Timing of captaincy exit
- With just a month left for the T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20I as captain.
- Many players and experts spoke of India getting a title as a farewell gift for the modern run machine.
- He took the reins from MS Dhoni in 2017 and took India to great heights across all formats but failed to win an ICC trophy.
- Former India player Gautam Gambhir called the timing ‘unsettled and emotional.’
🇮🇳 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 16, 2021
T20 World Cup: 4 Big reasons behind Virat Kohli & Co’s debacle in T20 World Cup
Shastri-Kohli-Dhoni triangle– ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’
- MS Dhoni was brought in to provide calm in the dressing room in crunch moments.
- But the triangle of decision making in terms of team selection didn’t go well. MS Dhoni’s decision to back Ishan Kishan to open with KL Rahul against NZ failed miserably and Rohit failed at No 3.
- Gambhir had asked for explanations on the role of Dhoni sitting beside Ravi Shastri and the coaching group.
- Gambhir proved to be right as there was no harmony in team selection and decision-making and India failed in crunch moments like against Pakistan and against New Zealand.
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