Team India in action© Twitter
Team India defeated Australia 4-1 in the five-match T20I series and began their preparations for the 2024 World Cup on a positive note. The 2024 T20 World Cup will be hosted by West Indies and United States in June, next year. Before the showpiece event, Team India is scheduled to play the T20Is against South Africa and Afghanistan, followed by the IPL. As the likes of skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested for the T20Is against the Proteas, former wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel will face challenge of finding the right combination during the World Cup.
Parthiv stated that the team management should focus on short-listing players, whom they think are in line for the World Cup.
“India's biggest challenge to me has always been finding that right combination, especially in the T20 format. And we don't have games. Now we are talking about just three Afghanistan games if at all Virat or Rohit or Bumrah play in that. So I think it is something which India will have to take into account,” said Parthiv on Cricbuzz.
“Or else, they will have to go with whoever does well in the IPL. But then you will have to announce the team about halfway through the IPL as well. So it is a challenge. I am sure that before announcing the team they must have thought of who is in line for the World Cup and whether we want to get them for the Afghanistan series. It is a tricky situation," he added.
Parthiv further stated that Team India has loads of talent but they always get "tactically outplayed" by other teams.
“I think they are looking at more options by going with this young squad. There is no lack of supply of talent in India. A problem of plenty is still a problem and we have to find the right combination. In whatever tournaments they have played, India were not out-skilled," said Parthiv.
"They were tactically outplayed. Whether it was the 2023 final, the 2021 T20 World Cup where India was playing that outdated T20 game, in 2019 there was a problem of No.4," he added.
The T20I against South Africa will kick-start from December 10. It will be followed by ODIs from December 17 and two Tests from December 26.
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