The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) doesn’t allow its players to participate in the overseas leagues, and that inexperience was badly exposed during the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.
Indian batters failed to fire in the Powerplay while struggling to adapt to Australian conditions throughout the tournament and even in the semi-final against England.
On the other hand, England’s Alex Hales has the rich experience of playing in franchise leagues across the world, including Australia’s BBL, and he made the most of it against Team India at Adelaide Oval.
Hales (86*) and Jos Buttler (80*) made a mockery of the Indian bowling attack during their successful 169-run chase with a record 170-run opening stand to beat the Men in Blue by 10 wickets and set the T20 World Cup 2022 Final date with Pakistan to be played at the MCG on Sunday (November 13).
After India’s embarrassing exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup, former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said that the time has now come for India to reconsider their decision not to play in overseas leagues.
He suggested that the BCCI should now allow its players to take part in the overseas T20 leagues, especially the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), keeping in mind the next T20 World Cup.
Stephen Fleming was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo: “It may be something to consider when you listen to the commentators talk about Hales and his experience at the ground (Adelaide Oval). It seems like a number of these players who are playing around the world are getting really important experience from playing these domestic tournaments that they can then tap into and feel a lot more comfortable.”
The CSK head coach mentioned that the next T20 World Cup will be held in the West Indies, so it would be ideal for the Indian players to consider playing in the CPL to get used to the conditions. He explained, “You look at the CPL which becomes more important with the next World Cup being there in the Caribbean, and how many players can you get put into that tournament to get an idea of conditions. It is an advantage. Young players maybe more so than the guys who have been a bit longer in the tooth.”
Fleming signed off by saying, “Jonny Bairstow is a great example. They can still keep getting better because you keep learning from these environments. Things are done in a different way in different parts of the world. So, if you keep bolting, it's like upgrading your phone. Every time you plug it in and get an upgrade you get another new tool.”
Meanwhile, Tom Moody said that India’s top-order must be more dynamic and they need more players like Suryakumar Yadav at the top of the order in T20Is. Moody stated: “I think the top order needs to be more dynamic. So, I'd be looking at players that fit that profile. So, identifying who are the players who play the sort of fearless game that we see, for example, Suryakumar Yadav. But he plays in the middle order. Who is the version of him that I can have at the top of the order?”
He further explained, “Ideally, in my top three, I'd want two of them and then I have my anchor player that plays around circumstances, conditions, lot of early wickets, whatever it is, just to set the ship back on the right course if things go wrong.”
Moody signed off by saying, “Rishabh Pant is one of them. Ishan Kishan is another one that I see who is an extraordinary talent. At the end of the day, it's not the people you are picking but the brand of cricket you want to play. The people then follow the brand.”
(With PTI Inputs)
