India’s T20 batting puzzle isn’t complicated at all because the solutions already exist within this squad. The problems are obvious, the fixes even more so. Let’s break down the core issues holding India back, and the straightforward answers the team management seems determined to overlook.
Concern #1: The Opening conundrum
India’s first and biggest headache is right at the top - Shubman Gill simply isn’t working in T20Is. Since his return to the setup, he averages just 23 in 14 innings, numbers that immediately put India on the back foot.
Solution: Bring Back Sanju Samson
Post the 2024 T20 World Cup, both Samson and Gill have played 21 T20I innings. The difference? Samson has struck 3 centuries as an opener in this period. You cannot bench a player offering that kind of explosiveness and consistency. Samson deserves that opening slot - no debate required.
Concern #2: Where Is Rinku Singh?
How does a team ignore a finisher who has smashed 550 runs in 25 T20Is, averaging over 42 with a strike rate above 161? That's self-sabotage.
Solution: Samson... Again
Because Samson can take the gloves, India can slot Rinku Singh in place of Jitesh Sharma.
And just imagine a finishing duo of Rinku + Hardik Pandya. That’s not a batting order, that’s a death-overs nightmare for any bowling attack.
Concern #3: Who Exactly Is India’s No. 3?
In the 2nd T20I vs South Africa, Axar Patel walked out at No. 3. At other times, Tilak Varma has been treated like a floating accessory.
Solution: Tilak, the Permanent No.3
Both of Tilak’s T20I hundreds have come from this position. He reached 1000 T20I runs in just 34 innings, 6 fewer than Rohit Sharma as well. If that’s not enough evidence, nothing ever will be.
Concern #4: Shivam Dube’s Undefined Role
Shivam Dube is supposedly India’s designated finisher, but his usage has been chaotic.
In his last 14 T20I innings, he has batted at 5 different positions, and in 5 matches he didn’t bat at all. Not surprisingly, he has only 118 runs in this period.
Solution: Give Dube a Fixed Role
If Dube is part of the core group, he needs a permanent, clearly defined spot. Constant chop-and-change in the batting order has hurt India more than any opposition attack. The management must stop “experimenting” with things that aren’t broken.
The Bottom Line
India’s T20 issues aren’t about talent, they’re about clarity. Samson must open. Rinku must play. Tilak must own No. 3. Dube must have a fixed role. The solutions are simple. The question is: Will India finally apply them?
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