4 Changes India need to make before the next ICC Cricket World Cup 

MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni

India dominated the league stage of the World Cup and won seven out of 9 matches. Despite performing well throughout the tournament, one bad performance against New Zealand in the semi-finals cost them the World Cup.

The semi-final defeat against New Zealand highlighted a few areas of concern for India that should be addressed before the next World Cup takes place. As we all know by now, the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup is set to take place in India. If India is to lift their third World Cup, then these are the four changes that India needs to make in the next four years.


#4 Need for a backup opener

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan
Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan

Undoubtedly, India has one of the best opening pairs in white-ball cricket at the moment. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have built a solid reputation for themselves as openers. Together the duo has accumulated 4681 runs in 103 ODI innings. This is not only a boon for Inda, but it’s also a bane.

During this edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup, Shikhar Dhawan injured his thumb and had to be ruled out of the tournament. This meant that India needed to find someone else who could open with Rohit Sharma. KL Rahul stepped up and fulfilled the role. However, Rahul’s performances as an opener were lacklustre to say the least. There were times where he lacked the confidence needed to score runs quickly, but India had no other option available to them.

Of course, Mayank Agarwal joined the team towards the latter part of the tournament, but his lack of experience made it very hard for the management to include him in the playing XI.

Given Dhawan’s current age, it is highly unlikely that he will play in the next World Cup. Therefore, India needs to look for multiple opening options in the next four years. Luckily, India has a lot of youngsters that could fill that role. Players like Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, and Mayank Agarwal need to be given more chances in the next few years so that they will be ready to perform on the big stage.

#3 A solid number four option

Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer

India’s biggest problem that has plagued them over the years has been their bleak middle order particularly the number four position. India has tried over 10 different batsmen at the number four position since the 2015 World Cup, and they still have not found a solid batsman who can play at this position.

Therefore, this should be India’s prime concern over the next four years. The team management should look to try a few more combinations and stick to one that works. Just like their top order is well set, India needs to find a batsman who can play at this position consistently for a considerable amount of time. Some good options for the number four spot could be Nitish Rana or Shreyas Iyer.

The BCCI selectors need to look for players who can rotate the strike as well as pull the team out of difficult situations when needed.

Whoever the Indian team management choose to bat at number four, they need to be given more chances to settle into their role comfortably.

#2 Utilize another spinner

Shreyas Gopal
Shreyas Gopal

For the past year, India has heavily relied on the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. While the two of them have performed well for India in the past, that doesn’t mean that India should stick to using just two spinners.

Instead, the BCCI selectors could provide an opportunity for another spinner. Having an extra spinner who was eligible for selection could’ve made a huge difference in this World Cup. Kuldeep Yadav was struggling with poor form before the World Cup. Despite this, he was still included in the 15-man squad that traveled to England. If India had another spinning option, they wouldn’t have gone with Kuldeep Yadav.

Now that the World Cup is over, it’s the perfect time to try out a new spinner like Shreyas Gopal. Gopal has proved how good he is in the IPL when he dismissed Kohli and de Villiers in the same match on two different occasions. How many bowlers in the world can claim that they have dismissed two of the best batsmen in world cricket in the same match twice?

Moreover, Shreyas Gopal is a handy batsman down the order which separates him from his contemporaries. India could use a spinner like Shreyas Gopal especially since the next World Cup will be played in India where spin will dominate the tournament.

#1 Replacement for Dhoni

MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni has been one of India’s greatest middle-order batsmen. What makes Dhoni so special is his calmness at the crease even during high-pressure games. We have never seen a moment when Dhoni looked stressed while batting.

However, at 38 years of age, Dhoni may have reached the end of his international career. At most, he may have just one or two years of cricket left in him. This means that he will most likely miss out on the next World Cup.

This also means that India needs to find a suitable replacement for him. Dhoni’s departure will leave a huge void in India’s batting lineup. However, it looks like the BCCI is looking towards Rishabh Pant as the successor to MS Dhoni. They are very keen on Pant as a wicket-keeper and a middle-order batsman.

One could argue that Pant’s keeping skills are a bit raw when compared to Dhoni. But with enough practice and mentorship, Pant could improve his skills. His batting has gotten slightly better over the past year. He has played a few mature knocks for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. Though he wasn’t able to replicate the same performance in the World Cup, that shouldn’t deter the selectors from giving him a few more chances.

That being said, the BCCI should also look to a few other wicket-keeper options as well. Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson seem like a good choice. Both are decent behind the stumps, but they need to work on their batting before earning a national call-up.

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Edited by Sai Teja