India favourites, but Kiwis can spring a surprise

As far as the rest of the world is concerned, one will struggle to find another team with the comparable resources and mindset to consistently succeed in T20 cricket. The Australian cricketing establishment seems a bit confused on how much importance is to be given to this format. It may not be “hit and giggle” cricket any more, as Ricky Ponting once famously called it in the early days of this version, but it’s still very much the third format of the game for them. Key players are not risked for the T20 World Cup if there’s a slight niggle, as was the case with Pat Cummins who prioritised a hectic upcoming period of Test cricket. Steve Smith was not included in the squad despite being in prime form in the Big Bash League, even when injuries to other players provided an opening. When he was eventually included, he wasn’t fielded in the do-or-die game against Sri Lanka.

England have not thrived in Indian conditions of late, especially in white-ball cricket. They flourished in spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka, but India in India is a different kettle of fish and they fell just short, despite a brilliant hundred by Jacob Bethell. The same can be said about the West Indies, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka ceased to be genuine forces in any format a long time ago. South Africa did South Africa things in the tournament, dominating all comers – including India – before having their worst game at the most inopportune time.

That left New Zealand as the last challenger standing and though they lost two games, they did just enough – as they usually do – to make the knockouts before having a great match in the semifinals.

The Kiwis’ last two visits to these shores have brought them unprecedented success. They whitewashed India 3-0 in the Test series in late 2024 and a year later, won their first bilateral ODI rubber in this country. So, if one believes in omens, they can complete the cycle by having success in the T20 format on this trip.

Loose ends

That would make India wary of the Kiwi challenge but truth be told, man for man, the hosts are the much better outfit, even if there are a few problem areas.

Abhishek Sharma was expected to light up the tournament, based on what he had done in the preceding months. But the left-handed opener’s take-no-prisoners approach has come unstuck under the harsh spotlight.

Varun Chakaravarthy finds himself in a similar situation, after being virtually unplayable in the early part of the tournament. The mystery-spinner is still around the top in the wicket-takers charts, but the slightly uncharitable way to describe his recent struggles would be to conclude that the combination of flatter wickets and stronger opposition has found him out a bit.

On the other hand, Sanju Samson seems to have found a new lease of life when given the latest of his many opportunities. He had flattered to deceive on several previous occasions, but judging by the back-to-back match-winning performances under the most intense pressure, the penny seems to have finally dropped.

But the Pole Star of this Indian team continues to be Jasprit Bumrah. He is generally considered the ‘cheat code’ for the team regardless of conditions or match situation. Greats of the game – past and present – seem to be falling over each other to sing his praises. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to conclude that the semifinal against England – a game in which almost 500 runs were scored in 40 overs – was decided by the four overs bowled by the Indian pace spearhead conceding just 33 runs, including just six in the crucial 18th, during the chase.

But the secret of India’s progress to the final is that they have found men for every occasion when things have got tight. Axar Patel’s name comes readily to mind. When he isn’t bowling useful spells or trouble-shooting with the bat, the all-rounder is making match-winning contributions in the field – like he did in the semifinal.

Tilak Varma has done whatever the team has asked of him, at any batting position, while the value of the cameos by Shivam Dube – regardless of their duration – can’t be overemphasised. Arshdeep Singh gets wickets with the new ball and can be relied upon to do a job in the death overs.

No lightweights

New Zealand are often bigger than the sum of their parts. They may not let out the most intimidating vibe, but at the risk of stereotyping, punch above their weight in international cricket. Their secret lies in full preparation, attention to detail and being ready for whatever is thrown at them. Conventional wisdom would have one believing that they can’t have as good a game as they had in the semifinal against South Africa, but it’s never advisable to rule the Black Caps out.

The Indian team management would have noticed how Finn Allen and Tim Seifert took the Proteas pace attack apart in Kolkata. They may be tempted to utilise their biggest guns early on to neutralise their threat.

Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell have had a lot of success in these parts while Rachin Ravindra feels at home in Indian conditions.

Their bowling may not boast of big names but speedster Matt Henry is a quality performer and skipper Mitchell Santner leads a quality spin attack. The Kiwis seem to relish their underdog status as it puts all the pressure on their opposition.

Talking of pressure, the venue and the crowd adds another dimension to the contest. India has a few ghosts to exorcise after the 2023 50-over World Cup when the final against Australia at the same Narendra Modi Stadium was expected to be a coronation rather than a contest, but turned out differently. The huge crowd that’s expected could be the veritable 12th man when things are going well for the home side but the silence that would engulf the vast stadium when things get close or are running against the hosts can put the pressure of realising their expectations on the Indian players. Playing at home is a great advantage but in certain conditions, could be a double-edged sword.