It's about time India firmed up T20 WC squad

"We look at different teams in different perspectives and will deploy different strategies accordingly. I can't disclose the team strategy but we will continue to try different things."

- Then India coach Greg Chappell, on November 8, 2006

"We play according to the conditions, situation, opposition and what we feel is the best XI. There's no such a thing as first choice playing XI for every single condition. That will vary."

- Current India coach Rahul Dravid, on September 3, 2022

Call it experimentation or strategising, the Indian cricket team’s methods at the moment appear to have been heavily drawn from the Chappell-Dravid era, when the team oscillated between heady success, consternation (even if misplaced on many occasions) and eventually a massive slump in fortunes.

But current head coach Dravid is no Chappell. He is tough but benevolent, and more than one player from the current squad has spoken about a happy, secure change-room under the former India captain.

Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma seem to be getting along like a house on fire, not unlike the Bengalurean’s association with the controversial Aussie. Rohit and Dravid are united in their pursuit of the T20 World Cup title and have been on the same page in terms of the means to achieve that stated goal.

Just as how Chappell tried out Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, among others, in different positions to provide flexibility to the combination, Dravid has batted Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer at various slots to see if they can succeed when taken out of their comfort zone. Most of these attempts have yielded encouraging results, providing the team management with a healthy pool of players to form the majority of the squad.

Come to think of it, at any given time, the majority in a squad pick themselves. It’s always a question of three-four places, at best, and that’s where India are found wanting after all these trials.

However, with the deadline to announce the World Cup squad being October 10, India wouldn’t want to leave it too late.

“Obviously, you want to start that (firming up the core combination),” Dravid had said on June 20, at the conclusion of the T20 series against South Africa in Bengaluru.

Nearly three months after that statement and series in Ireland, England, West Indies, Zimbabwe and now the Asia Cup, India are still some distance away from finalising their squad.

There are still some critical choices that the team needs to firm up its mind on. Who is the ideal man between Dinesh Karthik and Pant to keep wickets? Can both be accommodated in the playing XI? Who will be their spinners in the potential absence of a recuperating Ravindra Jadeja? What is the pace combination and what are the contingencies for injuries and illnesses?

Karthik or Pant?

All-rounder Hardik Pandya is a certainty too but the problems start after that. Karthik or Pant? From the Asia Cup debacle, it has come across as if the team management has no clarity on this debate. Though Karthik, with his ability to tee-off from the start and better skills against spin, seems an obvious choice, there appears to be a reluctance to keep the talented Pant out.

Who are your spinners?

Who are the spinners? India have tried as many as six - Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Jadeja - post the T20 World Cup, yet the situation is similar to that of who between Karthik and Pant? The knee injury to Jadeja has only added to the confusion.

While Chahal has been inconsistent, Ashwin hasn’t taken as many wickets as one would have liked to. Bishnoi is still undercooked while Axar is no like-for-like replacement for Jadeja.

India by now would have realised that six bowling options, including Pandya, are a must to consistently win T20 matches. Three seamers, two spinners, of which one has to be an all-rounder and a medium-paced all-rounder would be an ideal combination in Australia, but how are India going to form that attack?

“If you look at the combination we have been playing before the start of the Asia Cup, it was with four seamers, two spinners and the second spinner was an all-rounder,” said Rohit. “I always wanted to try and find answers as to what happens if you play with three seamers and two spinners, and the third spinner being an all-rounder. We are still looking for answers.”

Pace combination

The return of pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel (if he is passed fit) should, to a great extent, solve the pace headache that India have had to grapple with during the Asia Cup, especially in the Super 4s. Should he remain fit, the impressive Arshdeep Singh will board the flight to Australia while his senior team-mate Bhuvneshwar Kumar sowed seeds of doubt with his poor death-bowling performances in the Asia Cup.

With limited to little swing on offer in Australia, extra pace is mandatory to compensate for the lack of movement and that’s how Mohammed Shami has emerged as an alternative for some TV pundits. Shami does have pace but he has a tendency to become too predictable and often finds it difficult to wriggle out of that mode. Pacer Deepak Chahar, who is no mug with the bat, can be one of the seaming options.

“There will be a time where we will draw a line and say, ‘this is the combination we want to play for the World Cup.’ After this, we have two more series (against Australia and South Africa) and then the (T20) World Cup. Till our squad is announced, we can try out a few players.”

So, the auditions will continue. But should they, at this late stage?