T20 World Cup: 3 Players Crucial To India's Super 8 Push

Sanjay Bangar names Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah as key to India's Super 8 campaign in the T20 World Cup.

Sangar Bangar believes India have played slightly under par and squad depth will help India handle potential injuries in later stages.

IMAGE: Sanjay Bangar believes India have played slightly under par and squad depth will help India handle potential injuries in the later stages. Photograph: ANI Photo

Former Indian cricketer and batting coach Sanjay Bangar said that despite Men in Blue not fully meeting 'sky-high' expectations during the group stages of the men's T20 World Cup, the 'best is yet to come'.

Key Points

Bangar describes India's start as 'steady' rather than dominant.
Fielding concerns flagged after dropped chances against Pakistan and The Netherlands.
'Bumrah will hold the key when the match is on the line, as far as bowling is concerned.'

Team India stormed into the Super 8s, remaining undefeated in the group stage, with wins over the USA and Namibia, Pakistan and The Netherlands.

However, the team's struggles were evident as Suryakumar Yadav's men weren't at their most absolute best.

Speaking on JioStar's Follow the Blues, Bangar said the start for India was a 'steady' one, and as they were 'not necessarily bulldozing opponents in those games, they could be seen as a team having played slightly under par'.

'All players are match-ready'

'However, the good thing is that their best is yet to come. Another positive aspect is that all the players have had a chance to feature in the playing XI, which augurs well in case there are any injury concerns later in the tournament. All the players are match-ready.

'If there is one department where they would want to improve, it would be catching, because we saw a few chances being dropped against Pakistan and The Netherlands,' he added.

Given the lack of runs from Abhishek Sharma, the world's number one T20I batter, who is yet to open his account in three innings, Bangar said Ishan Kishan is the 'player number one' for India.

In four matches so far, Kishan has made 176 runs at a strike rate of 202.29, with two fifties, including a 40-ball 77 on a slow, sluggish track against Pakistan at Colombo.

'Suryakumar has scored runs in most games on a consistent basis'

Bangar also hailed Skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who has lived up to the tag of a 'leader', captaining the team with maturity.

'From here on, three players who are going to be extremely critical to India's journey in this T20 World Cup are the men in form. That's where I feel Ishan Kishan, given the way he has been batting and the lack of runs from Abhishek Sharma, becomes crucial. The onus is now on Kishan to provide those explosive starts. So, he is player number one.

'Player number two is Suryakumar Yadav. He has scored runs in most games on a consistent basis, while understanding the situation of the match.

'The third player is Jasprit Bumrah, because everybody is talking about the spin strength of this Indian team, but I believe Bumrah will hold the key when the match is on the line, as far as bowling is concerned.'