With the Himalayas looming over Dharamshala, India scaled fresh heights in its evolving journey in Twenty20 Internationals. After winning the inaugural 2007 ICC World T20 in South Africa, the Men in Blue flattered to deceive in cricket’s shortest version, specifically in global events. However, India largely does excel in bilateral series and the latest triumph was the 3-0 sweep against the visiting Sri Lankans in a clash that had its final episode at Dharamshala on Sunday night. After clinching the opening fixture at Lucknow, India extended that winning-act in the next two games under the mountain skies. Having recently swept past the West Indies at 3-0 each in ODIs and T20Is, Rohit Sharma’s cup of joy continues to brim. The latest squad missed Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, who were given a bio-bubble break, while the injured duo of K.L. Rahul and Hardik Pandya remain on the recovery path. Yet, India papered over the cracks and found men who could fill these vacant boots. Even Rohit after a 44 at Lucknow, managed just one and five in the last two encounters. The absence of key personnel and the meagre batting returns from the captain were tided past. The West Indies earlier and Sri Lanka now are essentially outfits in transition, but India deserves credit for the way it drove home its advantage with emphatic performances.
As India builds a unit leading into the ICC Twenty20 World Cup later this year in Australia, these results offer hope. Even from among those players pencilled in as part of the core group, Rohit missed an injured Suryakumar Yadav, who had flourished against the West Indies. But like the Test squad that revealed a strong bench-strength during the tour of Australia in the 2020-21 season, the Men in Blue displayed a similar resilience. Be it Ishan Kishan or a Sanju Samson being tried atop the batting tree or a Shreyas Iyer, positioned as the latest middle-order fulcrum, what caught the eye was the ease with which these batters embraced their roles. Shreyas was in blistering form as evident from his unbeaten knocks of 57, 74 and 73. The Mumbaikar and his alliance with Ravindra Jadeja in the second match, which perhaps could have gone to the wire, offered riveting fare and hinted at the host’s ominous form, especially in its backyard. Jadeja’s return again provides the all-round option that India has chased ever since Kapil Dev retired in 1994. Jadeja, Hardik and wicket-keepers who can bat like earlier in the case of M.S. Dhoni and currently through Pant, offer balance to any unit. Currently Indian cricket’s conveyor belt is chugging along smoothly with emerging players showing no signs of stage-fright.
