T20 World Cup 2022: 3 things to expect after Team India’s loss to South Africa

The
test
of
the
bouncy
pitches
in
Perth
proved
to
be
too
much
for
the
Indian
batting
order
as
they
gave
South
Africa
a
relatively
easier
target
of
134
runs
which
was
chased
down
by
the
Proteas
with
a
few
balls
to
spare.
Here,
we
look
at
three
things
to
expect
from
the
Indian
contingent
after
the
disappointing
loss
on
Sunday.

#3
KL
Rahul’s
patchy
form
can
trouble
India
in
big
matches

As
it
happened,
KL
Rahul
failed
to
touch
the
two-figure
mark
for
the
third
consecutive
match
as
the
Lucknow
Super
Giants
skipper
was
sent
back
to
the
pavilion
by
Lungi
Ngidi
for
a
mere
score
of
9
runs.

With
Virat
Kohli,
Suryakumar
Yadav,
and
Hardik
Pandya
in
form,
the
Indian
team
needs
an
opener
who
can
negate
the
pace,
bounce,
and
swing
of
the
new
ball
alongside
skipper
Rohit
Sharma.

The
Karnataka-based
batsman
was
out
with
an
injury
for
a
long
period
followed
by
dismal
performances
in
the
ongoing
ICC
T20
World
Cup.
With
upcoming
matches
against
Zimbabwe
and
Bangladesh,
Rahul
needs
to
find
his
touch
back
or
is
in
danger
of
being
replaced
by
Rishabh
Pant
at
the
top
of
the
order
who
provides
a
different
matchup
being
the
sole
left-handed
batter
in
the
Indian
squad.

#2
India’s
pace
battery
spitting
fire
on
Australian
pitches

With
plenty
of
pace
and
bounce
on
offer,
Jasprit
Bumrah,
one
of
the
best
fast
bowlers
in
the
world
was
expected
to
lead
India’s
bowling
attack
down
under.
But
an
unfortunate
back
spasm
two
weeks
before
the
start
of
the
biggest
T20
competition
in
the
world
put
a
huge
hole
in
the
Indian
squad.

In
stepped
the
experienced
Mohammed
Shami,
who
has
stabilized
the
Indian
bowling
attack
alongside
Bhuvneshwar
Kumar,
Arshdeep
Singh,
and
Hardik
Pandya
as
the
pace
quartet
even
allowed
skipper
Sharma
to
rest
Axar
Patel
in
favor
of
an
extra
batsman
in
Deepak
Hooda
against
South
Africa.

With
tougher
oppositions
like
New
Zealand
and
Australia
who
are
much
more
accustomed
to
these
conditions,
Shami
and
co.
would
need
to
be
at
the
top
of
their
form
to
give
India
a
chance
of
lifting
the
coveted
trophy.

#1
India
needs
to
gain
the
confidence
back
after
the
loss

Pakistan
lost
to
India
in
a
nail-biter
in
the
first
match
which
deflated
Babar
Azam’s
team’s
confidence
and
they
went
on
to
lose
another
crucial
match
to
minnows
Zimbabwe.
The
Indian
team
now
faces
Zimbabwe
and
Bangladesh
in
their
next
two
Super
12
matches
and
the
Men
in
Blue
need
to
ensure
the
gulf
in
class
and
the
quality
shows
on
the
pitch
as
well
after
a
disappointing
show
against
South
Africa.

By:
Mohak
Arora,
Parimatch
sport
expert