T20 is a cricket format supposedly loaded in favour of youth, demanding quick thinking on swift feet and not easy to deliver for the experienced hands. Fresh faces and new ways to accumulate runs, radically different thinking by bowlers is supposed to be the norm. In reality, Ravichandran Ashwin at 36 years, Virat Kohli at 33, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar at 32 displayed their utility in India’s epic T20 World Cup win over Pakistan at the MCG and in a canter past the Netherlands at the SCG.
Also Read: Wasim Akram’s ‘Shocker’ Emoji Tweet After Pakistan’s One-Run Loss To Zimbabwe
The age of these battle-hardened players did not come into focus, their special quality shone on the pitch as India seized the initiative with the ball and later with the bat in both games. Shami, Bhuvaneshwar, Kohli and Ashwin delved into their memory bank of international experience to grasp what was expected from each one in a crunch situation and worked out individual solutions. Nobody told them what to do, the responses came from within based on instinct honed by years of matchplay, which the energy of youth will find it difficult to match.
Also Read: ‘Man, Oh Man’-Pommie Mbangwa Can’t Keep Calm In Commentary Box; Video Goes Viral
T20 is packed with surprises, twists and turns at each step and forces players to think on their feet. Surprise moves by new names have value at the World Cup level, in the process of banking on youth the utility of battle-hardened seniors cannot be overlooked in the matches to come. Chosen on the basis of first-hand experience in Australian conditions, accumulated over tough Test and ODI series, Shami (4-0-25-1 against Pakistan in the opener) showed up the selectors’ mistake in naming him in the standbys instead of among first-choice bowlers.
When the opportunity to deliver arose at MCG in the World Cup opener, Shami was switched on and ready, despite getting less preparation time than needed for any bowler. Tougher games lie ahead, he will only get sharper with more overs under his belt. The respect from batters for Bhuvaneshwar (79 T20 appearances prior to this World Cup) is visible from his figures against Pakistan (4-0-22-1) and the Dutch (3-2-9-2).
These two seniors are guiding debutant Arshdeep Singh about adjusting length and cashing in on helpful conditions in a format otherwise loaded in batters’ favour.
T20 World Cup 2022: Full Coverage | Schedule | Results | Points Table | Gallery
Ashwin displayed his cricket smarts at the crease in just two balls faced against Pakistan, calmly remained inside the line to the first delivery called a wide down the leg side. India’s winning run came off his blade, a crisp shot straight over mid-off against spinner Mohammed Nawaz. Dinesh Karthik, 37-year-old, played his part in assisting another experienced campaigner, Kohli, pull India over the finish line. Five seniors boosted India’s World Cup aspirations in T20, assumed to be a format where experienced hands will be out of place.
As long as match fitness is not an issue, Ashwin (61 T20 appearances till the Netherlands game) deserves a first team place despite his age, because of the impact his sheer presence has on the opposition.
Armed with the ball, the off-spinner keeps batters in check, canny batting is a bonus lower down the order, as displayed in the World Cup opener. The cool head in a crisis comes with experience, nobody expected him to choose discretion first ball faced in the 20th over, he applied his own logic and ended up doing the unexpected.
Selected instead of dashing young wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant in the face-off with Pakistan, Karthik snapped up two catches and displayed agility of a high order. This 2007 World Cupper ran hard between the wickets at 37 in a manner any young batter will be proud of. Karthik missed two stumping chances against the Dutch, his form with the bat in a finisher role will determine if the oldest player on the Indian squad deserves further opportunities. The combative wicketkeeper/bat is willing to take on any role decided by the team management.
The sight of Suryakumar Yadav racing to the middle and embracing Kohli, after Ashwin had hit the winning runs to deflate Pakistan, later skipper Rohit Sharma lifting Kohli on his shoulder are spontaneous acts of appreciation from teammates of different generations, a way to salute the match-winner, an ex-India captain whose leadership on the pitch is never in question. Kohli may not always click each time he bats this World Cup, but his unbeaten 82 against Pakistan proved the value of experience in high-pressure situations. He top-scored against Netherlands in a stand with Yadav.
T20 specialists K L Rahul, Sharma, Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda learnt priceless lessons in building an innings from the dressing room, watching a master batter at work. Kohli (109 T20 internationals prior to this World Cup), Ashwin, Karthik, Shami and Bjhuvaneshwar are showing at the World Cup that instead of the perception of being misfits in T20, the old guard can inspire and guide younger teammates.
Get the latest Cricket News, Schedule and Cricket Live Scores here