#TheTribuneEditorial T20 kings: India calls the shots in white-ball cricket
The Tribune Editorial: Embarrassing losses to New Zealand and South Africa in Test matches are a matter of concern.
RUTHLESS and fearless, Team India went for the jugular in the T20 World Cup final, clinching a historic third title in the shortest format of cricket. The demolition of a hapless New Zealand robbed viewers of a nail-biting summit clash, but it showcased India’s flamboyant supremacy beyond any doubt. Head coach Gautam Gambhir had the courage of his convictions — Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy were retained for the all-important final despite their erratic form. Sanju Samson scored 80-plus knocks in three matches that mattered the most, while the crafty pacer Jasprit Bumrah had too many tricks up his sleeve. Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube – they all chipped in at crucial junctures. The stinging loss to South Africa in a Super Eight match was exactly the wake-up call that the team needed to get its mojo back.
The remarkable feat of winning two T20 World Cup titles in less than two years owes a lot to the money-spinning Indian Premier League, which is proving to be a boundless source of talent for the cricket-crazy nation. The emphatic victory comes just a year after India won the ODI Champions Trophy. The heady cocktail of white-ball cricket and commerce, however, has pegged India back in Tests, the format loved by purists. Embarrassing losses to New Zealand and South Africa in home series are a matter of concern. India’s global domination of this sport would remain incomplete unless it gets its act together in Test matches.
The same holds true for the women’s team, which won the ODI World Cup in November last year. The red-ball variety has taken a back seat there too. A balanced approach to the three formats is the way forward. Looking at the larger picture, it’s crystal clear that sports in India would continue to revolve around cricket — for better or worse.
