Everyone saw a talent when 20-year-old Rohit Sharma scored his first international half-century against South Africa on a bumpy Kingsmead surface in 2007.
Even as one admired Rohit’s extraordinary talent, one had no idea that a team with a 26-year-old average age would rule the globe in a format that its own board had only grudgingly agreed to.
Rohit Sharma (captain):
He possesses the rare gift from God, sinewy wrists, which enable him to play the flick and pull with equal grace and elan. Rohit Sharma, captain. With five IPL championships to his credit, Rohit has led the national team well in most of the bilateral series it has competed in.
He was approaching the age of 35 when he was appointed national captain, and he may only have two ICC tournaments left (this and the 23 ODI World Cup) to represent his country. Since the past World Cup, he has altered his hitting approach, and he is now in the lead during powerplay innings. But managing the limited fast bowling resources will put his ability to lead under pressure to the test.
KL Rahul (vice-captain):
Possibly the weakest link in India’s top order, yet one of the most fashionable players of the modern era. Rahul, who is Rahul Dravid’s favourite player, has frequently had trouble with his strike rate.
Rahul is a prolific scorer in the IPL and does possess all the necessary strokes, but if one compares his performance across all competitions, they will see that he hasn’t really delivered in the big moments when the team’s future was at stake. He has struggled with quick entering deliveries, and the tournament’s tone will be determined by how he handles Pakistan’s top bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Virat Kohli:
He was, is, and will continue to be the biggest threat to any opposition as long as he plays. The nicest thing about Kohli is his timely return to form. The opponents should take note of the appearances of “Vintage Virat” throughout the Asia Cup. With Kohli, one must allow him a buffer of 8–10 balls before he begins to control the bowlers, though. A strong powerplay start will be necessary for that.
Rishabh Pant:
This once-in-a-generation skill is not properly represented by a strike-rate of 127 across 62 games. In the T20s, Pant hasn’t been able to break free since he appears to be torn between attacking and anchoring. Every time Rohit began the bat, he played his natural game. But given that Rahul cannot be moved to the middle of the order in the shorter format, it doesn’t seem like Dravid will be eager to replace him at the top.
He is far more talented and skilled than Karthik, but if he isn’t opening, the Tamil Nadu man appears to be a superior option based on recent performance. But on a certain occasion, Pant may surpass everyone.