Here are the key learnings from India's T20I campaign (2022)
Team India experienced a mixed run in 2022 as they recorded some memorable wins but also suffered some humiliating defeats. T20Is were largely in focus last year due to the high-voltage ICC T20 World Cup. Although India did well in the format across bilateral cricket, they couldn't taste success at multi-team events. Here are the key learnings from India's T20I campaign in 2022.
Most T20Is played by a team in a calendar year
India played as many as 40 T20Is in 2022, the most by a team in a calendar year. England played the second-most T20Is last year, 13 less than India. Owing to the same, workload management was a hot topic of discussion last year. Notably, the combination that featured in the T20 WC didn't play many games together in bilateral series.
Most wins in a calendar year
It is worth noting that India won 28 T20Is last year and suffered just 10 defeats. While one game got abandoned, the other ended in a tie. These numbers are certainly sensational considering India struggled with stability in their combination. The same speaks a lot about their bench strength. Not to forget, India qualified for the T20 WC semis despite missing some big names.
Bilateral series vs multi-team tournaments
Notably, India played nine bilateral T20I series last year and emerged winners eight times. A series against South Africa ended in a 2-2 draw. Three of these series wins were whitewashes. Although India firmly dominated bilateral cricket, they struggled in multi-team events. They couldn't reach the finals of the Asia Cup. England knocked them out in the semi-final of the T20 WC.
Decoding reasons behind India's failure in multi-team events
As mentioned above, India tested a plethora of players last year and many of them even proved their mettle. However, the fact that they didn't play a settled combination regularly seemingly hurt the team in big events. Too many lucrative options also seem to have puzzled the management and the leadership group. The same resulted in inconsistent selection.
India tried a total of 31 players
According to ESPNcricinfo, 31 cricketers played T20Is for India last year. Only England fielded as many players in the format. The jam-packed calendar and untimely injuries were the major reason behind the same. With so many players in the fray, the team management's job got more difficult in monitoring the performances. Owing to the same, the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee faced backlash.
Injuries to prominent players
One series after another constantly challenged the fitness of Indian players last year. India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah seems to have succumbed to the same. Despite not being fully fit, he featured in the Australia T20I, which resulted in his ouster from the T20 WC. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja sustained a freak injury and missed the tournament.
