India began their T20 World Cup campaign with a hard-fought win, but the contest against the USA highlighted several concerns. Sunil Gavaskar has called for the team to treat this narrow escape as a wake-up call, with tougher hurdles looming in the upcoming matches.
The ex-India captain highlighted that despite India successfully defending a modest total of 161, the top-order collapse and the initial nerves serve as a reminder of the importance of staying vigilant throughout a World Cup campaign. During his analysis on Star Sports, Gavaskar emphasised that India need to refine their batting strategies, even with the depth they possess in their line-up.
“I believe 160 wouldn’t have been straightforward. They ended up defending it with a lead of 30 runs, which is quite a big margin. So, there’s a lot to take away from this, especially the fact that there is batting depth,” Gavaskar said.
“But if you’ve got eight batters, and then your bowlers are 9, 10, and 11, and you lose four wickets within the first 7-8 overs, you’re going to be in trouble, especially against stronger teams with more experience in World Cups and T20 cricket,” former captain added.
Gavaskar’s main observation was that while having depth in the batting line-up is beneficial, it should not be an excuse for sloppy play in the power play. The top-order collapse early in the match could have serious consequences as the tournament progresses.
“Yes, there’s a six-over powerplay, but you don’t want to lose four wickets during that time, as it puts you in a difficult position,” he mentioned.
“What we all need to remember is that during world events, every team elevates its game, because these events don’t happen every day,” he concluded.