Former India opener Navjot Singh Sidhu gave head coach Rahul Dravid clear advice for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Navjot Singh Sidhu warned Rahul Dravid against selecting “component players” for the ICC tournament scheduled to be held in the West Indies and the USA.
The Men in Blue last won the ICC trophy when they beat England in the final game of the 2013 Champions Trophy. The Indian team failed to secure another ICC trophy in the last decade. The team missed opportunities in the knockout matches of ICC tournaments for 11 years.
In the last decade, Team India failed in four semi-finals and two finals in the white-ball format. Despite reaching the final in the first two editions of the World Test Championships, they failed to secure the title. Despite changes in captains and coaches, India failed to win major trophies.
The Rohit Sharma-led side almost ended their trophy drought by reaching the ODI World Cup 2023 final at home. However, they failed to beat the Australian team in the summit duel. The team is hoping for a victory in the T20 World Cup under the leadership of Rohit Sharma.
Speaking to Star Sports, Navjot Singh Sidhu highlighted the importance of picking a strong bowling line-up for the upcoming tournament. He advised Rahul Dravid to opt for five specialist wicket-taking bowlers.
“My immediate advice to Rahul Dravid is, if you want to win this tournament, simply have five bowlers who specialize in wickets. The breakdown of a team’s character arises from the compromise column. Your character takes a hit when you compromise. This is what you have. Three spinners – Bishnoi, Kuldeep and Jadeja pick themselves and play three fast bowlers.” Sidhu said in a discussion with Star Sports.
“Mayank Yadav will join the team when he is fit. Khaleel Ahmed, Mohsin Khan. And Delhi Capitals have Mukesh Kumar. I feel like the Indian team has so many options that if they take wicket bowlers and don’t compromise – I think that. “This guy can bat a bit, bowl a bit.” he added.
They all preferred wicket bowler – Navjot Singh Sidhu
Navjot Singh Sidhu pointed out that legendary captains like Imran Khan and Steve Waugh won World Cups by giving priority to wicket bowlers. Sidhu mentioned that if seven batsmen could not win, an extra batsman would not add any additional impact.
“All the great captains I have seen – whether Imran Khan of Pakistan or Steve Waugh of Australia… look at what they have done. They all preferred wicket bowlers. And that’s the secret. That’s an issue that we tend to ignore the game, if seven batters can’t win the game, the eighth won’t either.” Sidhu explained further.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup by May 1. Players who miss the playoffs will travel to the US before the World Cup, while other players will be included in the national team after completing their IPL commitments.
Also Read: GT vs RCB: Ashish Nehra and Shubman Gill throw Sai Kishore under the bus, spinner reacts after the match