Team India are having a great time in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, currently taking place in the USA and West Indies. The Rohit Sharma-led side has qualified to the semi-final without losing a match in the competition so far.
The Men in Blue are due to face defending champions England in the last-four clash in Guyana on Thursday (June 27). It will be a re-match of the 2022 T20 World Cup semis, which India had lost by 10 wickets at the hands of Jos Buttler’s team.
According to former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, it was that embarrassing defeat at the Adelaide Oval that served as a 'wake-up call' and since then India have become a completely different team.
In that game, Indian batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli didn't perform as expected. While Rohit had scored 27 off 28 balls at the top of the order, Kohli returned with 50 off 40 balls at No. 3.
In contrast, the Three Lions took only 16 overs to overhaul the target of 169, with Alex Hales (86* off 47) and Buttler (80* off 49) taking the Indian bowling attack to the cleaners.
"India is completely changed as a T20 side. That (2022 T20 WC semis loss) was a wake-up call for India. They may not admit it. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have never confessed that they helped India lose the semifinals, but this new India is a completely different India," Manjrekar said while speaking on ESPNCricinfo.
"What's also good for India is that England is looking a little weaker than they were a couple of years back. So that just helps India's cause," he added.
With scores of 1, 4, 0, 24, 37, and 0 to his name, it is safe to say that Virat Kohli is having a horrible T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.
Manjrekar also expressed concerns over Kohli's but he expects the great batter to raise his game on the big stage.
"Virat Kohli is a little bit of a worry because he hasn't got the runs, but he stayed committed to this approach of taking risks and doesn't worry about getting out. Whether he'll continue to do that in the semifinal, because this is a guy who has taken up the responsibility on the big stage, he feels that he's the guy who's got to do it. Plus he's short of runs. The thing to look for is if he's hit a four or a six and if he picks a single, then you know that he's batting a little differently," Manjrekar remarked.
On the other hand, Rohit Sharma has amassed 191 runs from six innings in this T20 World Cup at a strike rate of 159.16, which includes a brutal knock of 41-ball 92 against Australia in India’s last Super 8 match.
