So how have Team India fared in T20Is so far this year?
India in fact emerged as the most successful team in the shortest format this year that also saw them break Pakistan’s record for the most T20I wins in a calendar year when they beat Australia by six wickets to seal the three-match series 2-1 in Hyderabad last month.
The win was India’s 21st T20I win which bettered Pakistan’s record of 20 wins in 2021. In 2022 so far, India have played 32 T20Is against 10 different teams. They have won 23 and lost eight with one ending in a no result.
How India’s golden run started this year
India kicked off the year on a brilliant note by inflicting a 3-0 whitewash on the West Indies in February. It was then Sri Lanka’s turn to be handed the same 3-0 mauling in the three-match series as India continued their dominant run.
vs South Africa
The men in blue’s new season in June after the IPL did not see the same success initially with them taking on a tough opponent in South Africa at home. India were staring down the barrel, trailing 0-2 in the five-match series.
But the hosts, who were playing without some of the first choice players and captained by Rishabh Pant, bounced back in convincing fashion with back-to-back big wins to draw the series. The series was shared after the fifth and last match in Bengaluru was washed out.
(Five-match series ended in a 2-2 draw)
vs Ireland
India’s next assignment was a two-match series against Ireland in Ireland in which Hardik Pandya was given the responsibility to lead the second-string side. India did win the series 2-0, but Ireland gave India a run for their money as they fell short by just 4 runs in a huge chase of 226 in the second match.
(India won 2-0)
vs England
No matter who the opponent is, India’s juggernaut in the shortest format continued to roll on, with full time skipper Rohit Sharma also back into the side. The Men in Blue emerged victorious 2-1 in the three-match series against a strong England side in their own backyard.
(India won 2-1)
vs the West Indies
After a 3-0 drubbing of the West Indies earlier in February, India meted out the same treatment to the Windies by clinching the five-match series 4-1 when they travelled to the Caribbean and the US.
(India won 4-1)
Asia Cup
India’s perennial problem of not doing well in multi-team tournaments came to the fore again in the Asia Cup. They started the tournament with a convincing win over arch-rivals Pakistan. But in the Super Four stage, Pakistan exacted sweet revenge to dent India’s chances of reaching the final. The eventual winners Sri Lanka also got the better of India to knock them out of the tournament.
vs Australia
After an unexpected early exit at the Asia Cup, India restored parity with a 2-1 series victory over the defending champions and hosts of the ongoing T20 World Cup, Australia, at home.
(India won 2-1)
vs South Africa
India were then again up against South Africa in less than four months time at home and this time the hosts ended up victors with a 2-1 series win.
(India won 2-1)
Areas of concern
India suffered a huge blow when pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the World Cup with a back injury, further depleting the stocks of a side that has lacked steam in the final overs in the T20 format.
Skipper Rohit Sharma also voiced his concerns recently thanks to the bowlers inability to stop runs in the death overs saying – “areas of concerns, we have to look at our bowling, what more options we can find in the powerplay, middle and death.”
What added to India woes was all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s absence from the marquee event with a knee injury.
While Team India is ranked number one in the ICC team rankings for the shortest format, they haven’t lifted the T20 World Cup trophy since 2007 and failed to reach the semi-finals in the last edition.
This time they have Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh and two qualifiers in their group.
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