By Suresh Menon, Cricket Writer
In 2011, the next day India won a cricket World Cup, everyone knew it would be batter Sachin Tendulkar’s last chance.
He was 39, it was his fifth effort, and the team’s illegal phrase was” Let’s do it for Sachin”.
After captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit the winning six, Virat Kohli, who was among those who carried Tendulkar on their arms, said notably,” He has carried our bat on his arms for so much, it is time we carried him on our arms”.
And then Kohli, Tendulkar’s natural leader who turns 36 this time, is in the darkness of his own career.
The second T20 World Cup is in 2026, and the 50- over type in 2027. Although Kohli is taller than Tendulkar, it’s difficult to see him play whitened ball cricket afterwards. Captain Rohit Sharma, 37, may be playing his last World Cup also.
There has been no” Let’s do it for Kohli” or” Let’s do it for Rohit” cry in the Indian team, unless these have been done more discreetly than before. Perhaps there is a” Let’s do it for]Rahul ] Dravid”, lingering in the air. For the American manager, who missed the 2011 World Cup, this is his last task with the regional staff.
Increasingly, T20 is turning into a young man’s game, a young man who ca n’t be bothered about personal statistics, but is focused on where his next six is coming from. This cultural shift in Indian cricket is going unnoticed because too many huge players in the past have shown a healthy concern about how they appear in records books where figures are omitted from perspective.
Sharma’s beautiful 92 in the T20 against Australia made it clear to the next generation that strike rates were more important than average. It was greatly commended when Tendulkar reached his 100th worldwide era. But India lost the suit.
India’s white game team- particularly in T20- is in transition. This club has over 30 people, and three have more than 35. Additionally, the system is allowing for more decided hitters.
An American T20 club will travel to Zimbabwe for a five-game T20 series following month under the direction of Shubhman Gill. India’s potential is represented it, with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal (unlucky not to play in the T20 World Cup, although he might still do so ), Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar, Ravi Bishnoi, all under 25, and Rinku Singh a color over.
Ravindra Jadeja is one of the over-35s in the current West Indies club, while Suryakumar Yadav, the best flour, techniques 34.
Age ought not to issue, type and fitness really choose. However, T20 is a challenging format. When strategy and tactics move at a tremendous speed and yesterday’s ideologies no longer use, experience may actually work against a gamer.
When Kohli and Sharma initially started making their mark on the T20, it was a different beast.
It is a testament to their agility that they were able to keep up with No 7 Suryakumar and Jaiswal. After the recent World Cup, it is possible that one or both of them will decide to quit. If India wins, they ca n’t go any further, and they would have retreated after a victory. There will be pressure on them to create method if they lose. Activities may be violent.
India went into mourning after losing the 50-over World Cup to Australia last year in the last. Nothing more palpably felt by the players were Kohli and Sharma, both of whom had enjoyed a successful tournament as India entered the final undefeated. Therefore they messed it up. Neither did find a trip on friends arms. Each was aware that a prospect may not arise.
Furthermore, the desire for forgiveness at the T20 World Cup. No matter what style is used, some careers are deemed imperfect without a earth crown. A defeat is a happier starting point for change.