The T20 World Cup later this year is the flagship event of the year. There is a lot riding on the Indian team, especially in this T20 WC 2022. The country has not won a single world title for nearly a decade.
The Disappointment Of T20 World Cup 2021:
India was touted as a pre-tournament favorite for T20 2021 World Cup. The slow pitches were expected to suit their style of play. But the truth couldn’t have been farther than that. India failed to make it even to the knockouts. It has almost become imperative for India to win a major tournament now.
The Great Expectations From T20 WC 2022:
Hence there is so much hype surrounding the upcoming T20 World Cup. This World Cup is expected to be a swansong for many of its key stars in this format. India’s core is on the wrong side of the 30s. A format that keeps evolving every day will need fresher legs when the next edition of the World Cup comes around.
Hence We Look At 5 Players For Whom This T20 WC 2022 Might Be The Last Edition:
#5 Ravichandran Ashwin
Rohit Sharma – Rahul Dravid think-tank feels that there is more to Ravichandran Ashwin than just Test cricket. The duo believes Ashwin has a lot to offer in the game’s shortest format. Ashwin is a threat to left-handers no matter what form of cricket it is. He will be a fantastic matchup against teams who have a heavy left-hand lineup. But Ashwin isn’t getting any younger. This T20 WC 2022 will surely be his last throw of the dice in this format.
#4 Dinesh Karthik
He is a man on a mission. There aren’t more goal-driven individuals than Dinesh Karthik. For someone who made his debut in 2004, Karthik’s longevity is unbelievable. He has been roped into the team to play a certain role. The role of a finisher! Karthik is expected to blaze away in the last five overs of a T20I inning. He is gathering all his energies for one last big effort. Karthik isn’t expected to play beyond this T20 World Cup. But this is not the first time this is being said about him.
#3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar
He has found his mojo back post the disastrous last T20 World Cup. Bhuvneshwar Kumar remains India’s premier swing bowler under helpful conditions. It’s the injuries that have laid him low. Kumar is a terrific exponent with the new ball. He is equally effective at death too. But it will be asking a lot out of him to stay in relevance when the next T20 WC 2022 comes around. His injury-ridden body might not be up for the rigors of non-stop cricket in the future.
#2 Rohit Sharma
India appointed Rohit Sharma as their full-time captain across formats with a definite objective. The aim is to win both the T20 WC 2022 and ODI World Cup (2023). Sharma currently aged 35 is undoubtedly the right man to lead India at both these events. The fans and experts have a lot of belief in Sharma’s captaincy. They believe these World Cups are India’s for the taking. Sharma may well bid goodbye post the completion of the T20 World Cup this year. He is one of the select few to have played all T20 World Cups so far.
#1 Virat Kohli
The world has come crashing down for Virat Kohli. A year ago, he was the poster boy of world cricket. Kohli was an indisputable force in world cricket. But poor form and non-captaincy have hampered Kohli the player. Indian fans are getting impatient with every passing game. Kohli’s continual mediocre scores are not cutting ice with cricket experts. He is undoubtedly walking on a tightrope. Kohli quit the T20 captaincy post the World Cup last year. This time around, there is a fear that he might totally give up on the format.