T20 World Cup: The burden of expectations

Amid Rohit Sharma's unusual streak of single-figure scores in the ongoing IPL, the India camp maintains a composed stance on the eve of the T20 World Cup.

Renowned as a superstar opener, Sharma receives resolute backing to retain his natural free-flowing stroke play despite his recent batting struggles for Mumbai Indians, failing to breach double digits in his last five innings.

His subsequent scores 6 against Rajasthan Royals, 8 against Delhi Capitals, 4 against Lucknow SuperGiants, 11 against Kolkata Knight Riders, and most recently on Monday, 4 against SRH, underscore a concerning pattern of consistently registering single-digit scores. Moreover, thus far in IPL 2024, the seasoned 37-year-old has amassed a modest tally of 303 runs across 12 matches.

But if BCCI insiders are to be believed, the management is not sweating over the India skipper's lacklustre form of late. "We know he is going to turn things around. Of course, there are reasons why he is the leader of the pack. He may not be at his best in the IPL, but comparing a T20 league with the World Cup is plain foolishness. He is a proven match-winner and let us be honest, we all have bad days at work. (We) must cut him some slack," a BCCI insider, preferring anonymity, told Mid-Day on Tuesday.

He added that it is only a matter of time before Sharma returns to his customary form as an opener. The former Mumbai Indians skipper has had a demanding season, marked by an arduous five-Test series prior to IPL 2024, representing Mumbai, who find themselves virtually out of contention for the playoffs this season.

Also Read: ‘Suryakumar will have a big influence on T20 World Cup'

Despite Sharma's uncharacteristic downturn, his 900-run tally in 39 matches across all World Cups exemplifies his enduring value to the Indian team. Besides having made the most appearances by any player in World Cup history, Sharma's impeccable 66.66 per cent win rate in captaincy at T20 World Cups, coupled with his potential to get runs flowing in crucial overs, cements his importance in maintaining opening balance alongside other youngsters in the squad. Notably, in addition to their appearance in the final of the 50-over World Cup and the WTC Final last year, India, under Rohit's stewardship, advanced to the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Expressing his desire to witness ‘close friend' clinch the elusive World Cup trophy, former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh on Tuesday extolled Sharma's excellence across all facets of the game and highlighted his potential to single-handedly influence match outcomes.

"(Rohit's presence is going to be) very crucial. I think we need a really good captain, a sensible captain who takes decisions well under pressure. And he's the one to take them," Yuvraj told ICC.

India's shattering World Cup final defeat last November extended their pursuit of an ICC title to a decade, with the most recent triumph dating back to the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni's leadership. "He was the captain when we lost in the (Cricket World Cup) 50-over final (in 2023). He has won five IPL trophies as a captain. I think we need somebody like him to captain India," Singh added.

The inclusion of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, and Sanju Samson in the middle-order, coupled with Virat Kohli's aggressive role at No.3, may offer Sharma opportunities to adapt his innings style. A balanced batting order such as this will allow the skipper to instinctively react to match situations, a quality that has been pivotal to his decade-long international career.

India's prospects receive a further boost with all-rounder and India vice-captain Hardik Pandya's return to full fitness, ensuring the availability of the complete 15-player World Cup squad. Despite his lackadaisical form in the IPL, the 30-year-old's gradual return to bowling fitness indicates a promising outlook for India's bowling unit.