New York: Indian cricket team players during a training session for the T20 World Cup in New York. (PTI Photo)
India will take on Bangladesh ahead of the ICC World Cup T20 in a warm-up game at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. The narrative once again will be around whether can India make use of their resources to convert into trophies or will their trophy drought from 11 years continue into the next ICC event.
In the previous T20 World Cup in Australia though the side reached the semifinal there were holes in the team that were covered through individual brilliance however, against England in Adelaide in knockout it was an eye-opener for Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid where India stands in modern white ball game.
Though this side is better equipped than the one in Australia in 2022 here are the three things India would look to sort out before the actual campaign.
The role of finishers
Closing out games in T20 is one of the invaluable skills. Though Hardik Pandya for a period has played the role well for India his recent form for Mumbai Indians has been concerning. Along with him, Shivam Dube who can play the role as well has tapered off for Chennai Super Kings after getting selected in the World Cup squad.
Who will keep ?
India has options of two top-class options Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant who are good with gloves behind the stumps and gifted batters. However, given the composition of the Indian side, the keeper should also have the calmness to finish the games of cricket which makes it a trickier choice to pick and the warm-up game might be the right time to test the temperament of both players.
Jadeja vs Axar debate
In the 2022 World Cup Ravindra Jadeja was out of the side due to an injury and Axar Patel took his spot however, the latter could not have much of an impact but to be fair to him neither were conditions assisting finger spin. But in the Caribbean pitches will grip and since 2022 Axar has come leaps and bounds as an all-around choice that can be tested tomorrow.
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