This wasn’t the very best yr for India on the cricket pitch. It began with a collection loss in opposition to South Africa. India have been then unable to carry on to a lead in opposition to England, being blown away by their ‘Bazball’ strategy at a vital juncture. That was adopted by an early exit from the Asia Cup, a humiliating defeat within the T20 World Cup semifinal and an ODI collection loss in Bangladesh. Still, there have been moments that made the Indian fan imagine that there’s mild on the finish of the tunnel. TOI charts out the excessive factors for India in a tough yr…
WINNING THE MATCH OF THE YEAR AGAINST PAKISTAN
While 2022 was marked by disappointments in essential video games in all three codecs, the crew’s magnificent last-ball win in opposition to Pakistan within the T20 World Cup at a packed-to-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground made for the very best match of the yr. With rain within the air, there was doubt whether or not the match would happen in any respect. But the climate gods relented and Pakistan put up a combating rating of 159 on a pitch which had some juice in it.
AFP Photo
When India have been diminished to 31/4 in reply, it appeared that one other humiliation was within the offing. At this level, outdated hand Virat Kohli determined to play the very best T20 innings of his life to convey India to the doorstep of victory. The pendulum stored swinging within the final over and it wanted street-smartness by R Ashwin to drive Mohammad Nawaz to bowl a large to tie the scores. The offie completed the sport off with a chip shot over mid-off, presenting the Indian followers with a second of delirium.
THE RISE AND RISE OF SURYAKUMAR
Suryakumar Yadav needed to wait for a very long time to get his likelihood on the massive stage. But when he obtained it, the Mumbai right-hander made certain that he made full use of it. Throughout 2022, the 32-year-old established himself as the very best white-ball batsman on the planet. During his early days for Mumbai or the Kolkata Knight Riders, Surya had proven high quality however the ruthlessness and consistency weren’t precisely there. Things modified as soon as he turned part of the Mumbai Indians, successful machine that earned him an India callup in 2021. But he took his recreation to a special stage in 2022 on the worldwide stage. The means to play pictures throughout the bottom made him the most recent 360 diploma participant — the brand new AB de Villiers, when you please.
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When SKY himself stated that he needs to be like De Villiers after a match-winning effort, the South African legend tweeted: “You’re very quickly getting there dude, and even more!” If Surya can actually maintain it going, the Indian batting lineup will go to a special stage within the ODI World Cup in October-November, and followers can have causes to dream a few 2011 encore.
KOHLI REDISCOVERS THE TOUCH
Three years of century drought for Virat Kohli made many imagine that the grasp batsman might not ever be the identical participant that he was. But Kohli proved within the second-half of 2022 that he might have one last gear left in him. He had taken a few months’ break in the midst of the yr and got here to the Asia Cup together with his batteries recharged. He discovered his smile again, performed with out inhibition and scored a century (his first in T20I) in opposition to Afghanistan within the Asia Cup that gave him the assumption that he nonetheless had lots to contribute.
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Kohli’s second of glory gave India’s its highest level of the yr, the sport in opposition to Pakistan within the T20 World Cup. His excellent 82* off 53 balls helped India pull off an impressive victory. The six that he hit within the nineteenth over with a straight punch over paceman Haris Rauf’s head is being thought-about by many as the most effective pictures ever performed in T20 cricket. Kohli backed it up with one other ODI ton in opposition to Bangladesh in a bilateral collection. Now it’s about discovering the contact again in Test cricket.
HARDIK PANDYA’S EMERGENCE AS FUTURE T20 CAPTAIN
When India crashed out of the T20 World Cup following an embarrassing 10-wicket loss in opposition to England within the semis, it was evident that the Men in Blue want some contemporary concepts within the shortest format of the sport. Come the New Zealand tour, Hardik Pandya was made the T20 captain and India gained the collection. Now he has been named the skipper within the shortest format for the Sri Lanka collection as nicely.
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Pandya did an outstanding job as skipper for the brand new franchise Gujarat Titans as they went on to grow to be champions of their debut IPL season in 2022. Hardik is a implausible limited-overs batsman and a helpful medium-pacer when match. There’s a fierce aggressive streak in him that the Indian crew sorely lacked within the T20 World Cup in Australia. Hardik additionally brings a component of nonchalance in his physique language — a la MS Dhoni — that appeared to assist Gujarat in tight conditions within the IPL. It’s to be seen whether or not he can retain the cool until the following T20 World Cup in 2024.
ISHAN KISHAN’S FASTEST ODI DOUBLE TON IN BANGLADESH
As India failed within the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup adopted by a loss within the ODI collection to Bangladesh, it was evident that the crew’s strategy on the high of the order was not working. The likes of KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have all been wonderful cricketers over time, however none of them are slam-bang hitters. The gamers who’ve grown up with T20 cricket as their No. 1 format have that uninhibited daredevilry that the crew wanted, and Ishan Kishan matches the mould.
AP Photo
The Jharkhand left-hander obtained his likelihood in opposition to Bangladesh within the third ODI after India had misplaced the collection and he confirmed what his era can do if given a correct go. Kishan smashed the fastest-ever double ton in ODIs, reaching the milestone in 126 balls in Chattogram. The Bangladesh bowlers, who had strangled the Indian batting until then, simply didn’t know the place to cover in opposition to such an onslaught. It additionally left a pointer for the crew administration that the likes of Kishan, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw needs to be given extra possibilities in white-ball cricket in order that India can uncover that explosive ingredient that has been sorely missing of their recreation.