Sanjay manjrekar. (Photo Source: Fiona Goodall-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Indian team has been grappling with the option of having multiple all-rounders in the team specifically at the ICC events. For a long period, Hardik Pandya has been the go-to all-rounder for the team and the team has failed to produce a similar weapon over the years. Axar Patel is being nurtured as the spinning all-rounder but he is mostly seen performing in Tests.
With T20 World Cup 2024 ringing bells, the Indian team has inducted Shivam Dube as another all-rounding option. But, Dube has hardly bowled recently, neither for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL nor for the Indian team. He was given the ball against Afghanistan in the T20I series in January and had done reasonably well. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar took note of the aspect and exemplified Australia in producing ample all-rounders compared to India.
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“Lack of all-rounders is a bit of a weakness for Team India. If you look at Australia, their batters like Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, and Cameron Green can bowl four overs in a match. I think that’s why the Indian team has brought Shivam Dube into the side to mitigate the limitations that come with a lack of all-rounders,” said Manjrekar at Star Sports Press Room.
“Yes, it’s a small weakness, and now with the impact substitute rule in the IPL, this problem might increase. We currently rely on specialist bowlers and batters, but in this World Cup, the team will need to make some adjustments, and someone will have to bowl at least two to three overs in a match,” he added.
India eye domination in group stage of T20 World Cup 2024
India are placed in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2024 with Pakistan as the other formidable opponent. Rohit Sharma and Co. will take on Ireland in their World Cup opener on June 5 in New York. Before the tournament opener, India will play a warm-up game against their Asian counterpart Bangladesh on June 1. The other teams in Group A are the United States of America and Canada.