3 reasons why India's 2022 T20 World Cup campaign could be a repeat of 2021

India are currently the top-ranked team in T20I cricket with 269 rating points, but their performances in the format's marquee competition haven't reflected that of late.

The 2021 T20 World Cup, in particular, brings forth a slew of painful memories for Indian fans. The batting lineup came apart in the team's first two matches of the tournament, against Pakistan and New Zealand, and although India won their next three games convincingly, they couldn't make the semi-finals.

The 2022 T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia in October-November, will serve as another opportunity for the Men in Blue to claim their first crown since the inaugural edition. But the months in the lead-up to the competition haven't been entirely promising.

Here are three reasons why India's 2022 T20 World Cup campaign could be a repeat of 2021.

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#3 India are constantly experimenting with roles

England v India - 3rd Royal London Series One Day International

Experimentation is always welcome, but India have been pushing themselves to the limit while trying to identify ideal player roles. Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav have opened the batting of late, and while the latter made a mark in the third T20I against West Indies with a sublime 76, he is arguably India's best middle-order batter.

Things are relatively clear in the bowling department but the question of who will accompany Jasprit Bumrah in the pace attack remains, with Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel among those in contention. Mohammad Shami hasn't played a T20I since the 2021 T20 World Cup, while Avesh Khan and Umran Malik have been woefully expensive.

How do India get the most out of their players? And which personnel do they employ to maximize utility? There's a clear lack of stability in the lead-up to this year's T20 World Cup as well, and we all know how that turned out.

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#2 Key Indian players have been missing in action often

England v India - 3rd Royal London Series One Day International

India's top order at the T20 World Cup is likely to feature Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, just like the previous edition of the marquee ICC event. However, all three players have been missing in action for sustained periods of time over the last year or so.

While Rohit and Rahul have struggled with injuries and COVID at various stages of the last few months, Kohli has repeatedly pulled out of assignments without much communication from the selectors. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja have had their fair share of injuries as well.

Their replacements, such as Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson, have done quite well, but the management appears to have retained faith in the big guns. Unfortunately, though, the big guns don't make an appearance often enough.

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#1 India's approach has changed without much time for the T20 World Cup

England v India - 3rd Royal London Series One Day International

Can India convince players like KL Rahul and Virat Kohli to buy into the team's new attacking approach? Can the Men in Blue convert their patented run-accumulators into batters who prioritize strike rates over all else? The easy answer is "yes," as the team boasts a horde of world-class batters who are capable of meeting any demands.

However, India might not have made the change soon enough. They only have a handful of games to play ahead of the T20 World Cup, and given the demanding nature of the cricket calendar, the first-choice playing XI is unlikely to feature much together. India are heading in the right direction, but this year's tournament Down Under might be a hurdle that they stumble at before eventually finding the right track.