It really is quite surprising that India has only once been able to win the T20 World Cup since it was inaugurated in 2007. However, the number one ranked team in the ICC T20 rankings goes into the tournament in Australia this year with strong hopes.
The Indian Premier League has helped to develop lots of players who can flourish in the 20-overs format of the game which means that India has depth far deeper than any other nation in the world.
Rohit Sharma will lead India into the tournament in October, and his experience will be very important. He was part of the India team that beat Pakistan in the final in 2007, scoring an unbeaten 30. The 34-year-old has also tasted World Cup success in the 50-overs game in 2011.
With so many big characters in the India dressing room, it is vital that the captain has the respect of the players in it, and that is certainly the case with the talented batsman. He has been in great form in all formats of cricket over the last 12 months.
At the T20 World Cup in 2021, Lokesh Rahul was India’s highest scorer, as he finished the sports tournament with 194 runs. His form this year for the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL suggests he is going to be a key player once again. He has hit two unbeaten centuries for the newcomers to the league.
Rahul is part of a strong India batting line-up which also includes Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya. Having so many match-winners in the team gives them a great chance of having success this year.
The Super Giants man is now the vice-captain of the India team, so he will be doing all he can to support Sharma and the team in Australia.
India is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the T20 World Cup. They top the outright market ahead of hosts Australia and England respectively, however, there is very little between the three sides in the betting.
If India impresses against South Africa and England this summer, their odds cut be cut for the trophy. They are 3/1 with Parimatch, one of the best cricket betting sites in India. This really highlights the belief of both the professional tipsters making the call and the fans looking to back the pre-tournament favourites, even if they are using a free bet to do so.
Despite great faith in the side, it must be acknowledged that India will begin their 2022 T20 World Cup campaign in the same group as Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh. All three of those nations are strong teams in this format.
The opening game of the competition for India will come against Pakistan in Melbourne. They were beaten by their rivals in the tournament in 2021, so they will be hoping to avenge that defeat. If India is to progress through to the semi-finals this year, they will need to finish in one of the top two placings in their group.
Success at the end of the year in Australia would help India cement their top at the top of the ICC rankings. It would also be another win in the tournament that has been long overdue.
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