In the ever-growing landscape of Twenty20 cricket, India stands out with the richest and most-watched league in the world, the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, despite the IPL’s success and the investment in Indian cricket, international triumphs have been elusive for the national team. Rohit Sharma’s squad now heads to the T20 World Cup in the United States and Caribbean, aiming to secure a second title and end a long-standing drought.

IPL’s Influence and India’s Title Drought

The IPL, flush with cash and talent, attracts the best cricketers globally. Yet, since its inception, India has not lifted the T20 World Cup trophy. The team won the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007 but has only reached one final since, losing to Sri Lanka in 2014. The drought extends across formats, with India’s last International Cricket Council (ICC) title being the Champions Trophy in England in 2013. The last 50-over World Cup win dates back to 2011.

Recent Setbacks and Current Aspirations

The year 2023 was particularly disheartening for Indian cricket. The team lost the World Test Championship final to Australia in England and later succumbed to the same opponent in the 50-over World Cup final on home soil, despite entering the final on a 10-0 winning streak. This string of near-misses has fueled anguish among the cricket-mad population of 1.4 billion, intensifying the pressure on Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli as they likely participate in their last T20 tournament in India’s blue.

Veterans Leading the Charge

Rohit Sharma has been a part of every Indian squad at the T20 World Cup, while Kohli made his debut in the 2012 edition, making this his sixth attempt at the title. Kohli has accumulated 1,141 runs at an average of 81.50 and a strike rate of 131.30 in 27 tournament games. Sharma has scored 963 runs in 39 games at a strike rate of 127.88. Despite missing all of India’s T20 internationals between the 2022 semifinal loss and January 2024, both players were reaffirmed for the squad by BCCI secretary Jay Shah and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, underlining their pivotal roles.

Kohli and Sharma’s Recent Form

In IPL 2024, Kohli topped the run charts for Royal Challengers Bangalore with 741 runs in 15 matches, averaging 61.75, though his strike rate drew criticism early in the season. Conversely, Sharma managed only 417 runs for Mumbai Indians in an unsuccessful campaign. Agarkar dismissed concerns over Kohli’s strike rate, emphasizing the difference between IPL and international cricket and the value of experience under World Cup pressure.

Squad Composition and Strategic Decisions

Kohli’s batting position has sparked debate, as it significantly impacts India’s lineup. If Kohli continues to bat at No. 3, Yashasvi Jaiswal will open with Sharma, limiting the team to four specialist batters, including Suryakumar Yadav. This configuration sees Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant follow, with bowling allrounders filling the lower order.

However, if Kohli opens with Sharma, it allows for an extra middle-order batter, likely Shivam Dube, who impressed with his IPL strike rate of 162.29. Dube also provides useful medium pace, complementing Pandya. The bowling attack will be spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and features four spinners: all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, along with wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.

“I asked for four spinners,” Sharma explained. “Most of our matches will start at 10-11 a.m., and we expect all-rounders to do a job for us. It gives us a variety of combinations to explore depending on the opposition.”

India’s Road to Glory

India’s World Cup campaign begins against Ireland on June 5, followed by a high-stakes match against Pakistan in New York on June 9. Subsequent matches against the U.S. on June 12 and Canada on June 15 provide a seemingly straightforward path in the first round. However, the real test and the pressure to end the title drought will escalate once the team reaches the Super Eight stage in the West Indies.

As India embarks on this campaign, the blend of experienced stalwarts and emerging talent aims to finally secure the coveted T20 World Cup title, bringing joy to a cricket-obsessed nation and ending years of near-misses on the global stage.