India are back in Dubai for another major international multi-team tournament, with an eerily familiar undercurrent of uncertainty in the air.
Back in February, India were still reeling from the shock of the Test series defeat in Australia that had witnessed the end of Ravichandran Ashwin’s international career and put a big question mark over the future of its two biggest stars – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
The 50-over Champions Trophy in the UAE in February-March was the defining moment for many big names in Indian cricket and would have decided whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India was to hit the reset button immediately.
India finished the tournament unbeaten, defeating ICC tournament nemesis New Zealand in the final. Rohit and Kohli had a memorable tournament as India lifted their second major title in 10 months.
Now, another India are preparing for a multi-team tournament in the UAE – the 2025 Asia Cup. The reigning T20 world champions are seen as the favourites to lift the trophy and lay the foundations for a successful world title defence at home early next year.
Some unexpected issues have cropped up, however, in the T20 side. And it is mostly of their own doing.
India’s T20 outfit was seen as its strongest and most settled team; they mostly select different sides for all three formats.
Unencumbered by big names over the previous seasons – for various reasons – India emerged as the top-ranked team in the format. Since the beginning of 2024, India have a stupendous record of 22 wins and just two defeats in 20-over cricket.
However, movements in other formats have shaken up the T20 set-up too.
Shubman Gill has been earmarked as the next all-format captain. He has already assumed captaincy of the Test team, and acquitted himself admirably in the 2-2 series draw in England.
His popularity among the Indian cricket establishment became clear when he was named vice-captain of the T20 team for the Asia Cup. He was part of the team last year before rest and rotation policies saw him prioritised for other challenges. So, technically, he warrants a return to the team.
But Gill’s return, and rise to vice-captaincy, means a devastating opener like Sanju Samson – who in his past 12 innings has smashed three tons – might be left out.
Yashasvi Jaiswal will consider himself unlucky to not even get a spot among the reserves for the Asia Cup; he would walk into every other team in the world.
Maybe Gill will pull another rabbit out of the hat just as he did during the Test series in England – as a batter and leader – but try telling that to the players who are being sidelines through no fault of their own.
Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been selected, even though his fitness levels during the England tour came to the fore. India won both Tests that Bumrah missed and the belief in Indian cricket circles was that it would be prudent to give him a prolonged rest and save his best for the T20 World Cup next year. Selectors thought otherwise.
All of which would still be fine, if only India had not forgotten about a basic rule of cricket, and life – failing to prepare is preparing for failure.
India have not played a T20I since February, when they spanked England in a home T20 series. Their senior members have not played any top-level competitive cricket for over a month since the conclusion of the England Test series at the start of August.
Moreover, their captain Suryakumar Yadav has just regained his fitness after undergoing hernia surgery in June.
The team will start training together only this weekend, for a tournament that begins on Tuesday. Compare that to Champions Trophy earlier in the year when they played a T20 series and an ODI series against England right before the trip to Dubai.
There were rumours of a mini-series at the end of August, against any available opposition, to get the team up and running. But it was not to be.
Now, they will go into the Asia Cup with no competitive cricket under their belt and next to no preparation. Compare that to Pakistan and Afghanistan, who have taken part in a proper tri-series involving hosts UAE. Rest assured, they will be a lot sharper than India when the Asia Cup begins.
Back in 2021, India played a full Test series in England, did not do anything for close to two months, rocked up for the opening match of the T20 World Cup in Dubai and got smashed by Pakistan by 10 wickets.
Maybe this lot of Indian T20 players will click straight away. But if they do not, you know where they faltered.
