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The 2021 T20 World Cup is not far away and most international teams have begun making preparations for the event. Though a few bilateral rubbers and the IPL precede the tournament, the excitement for the T20 World Cup has hit fever pitch.
So much so that when India, in particular, announced their 2021 T20 World Cup squad, Twitter was sent into a frenzy. Not just because of the strength of the side but also because a certain MS Dhoni was returning as a mentor – more than a year after he bid adieu to the international game.
Elsewhere, England had to contend with the absence of Ben Stokes and also decided to omit Joe Root – arguably the best batter on the planet, while South Africa sprung a surprise by excluding Faf du Plessis – a cricketer who had retired from Test cricket in early 2021 to concentrate solely on white-ball cricket.
Apart from that, there were several cricketers who made a comeback into their respective nations’ international folds, despite that not seeming to be the case for large swathes over the past few years.
Thus, with most teams having named their squads for the T20 World Cup, the time seems ripe to delve a little deeper and see the three most impactful players to stage a comeback for the T20 World Cup 2021.
#3 Tymal Mills (England)
Back in 2016, Tymal Mills made his T20I debut, months after England had endured heartbreak in the final of the T20 World Cup. He began his journey against Sri Lanka and fared relatively well in that series and the rubber against India that followed.
In fact, his stock rose so rapidly that the Royal Challengers Bangalore forked out a fortune to acquire him for the 2017 edition of the IPL, eventually paying close to 12 crore INR for his services.
At the time, Mills boasted an excellent back of the hand slower delivery. However, there wasn’t a lot else to his bowling, meaning that he was found out and ultimately slipped into the international and IPL periphery.
Now, though, he seems to be back with a vengeance and more weapons in his arsenal – something that urged Eoin Morgan to consider him. And, with Mills’ performances not plateauing during The Hundred, England gave in to the temptation of bringing back the bowler who had created an enormous hype all those years ago.
If that is enough to ensure that England clear the final hurdle this time round remains to be seen. Yet, with Mills in the mix, they certainly seem more equipped to handle whatever obstacles the T20 World Cup has to throw at them.
#2 Ravi Rampaul (West Indies)
Here is the complete list of T20 World Cup venues that will be used from qualifiers to finals.
The last time Ravi Rampaul turned out in a T20I for the West Indies (in November 2015), MS Dhoni was still captaining India, Jasprit Bumrah hadn’t made his international debut, Marlon Samuels had played just one match-winning knock in the final of a T20 World Cup and Carlos Brathwaite had yet to produce the that “remember the name” moment against Stokes.
Hence, it is fair to say that Rampaul’s wait to don the West Indian colours has been quite a long one. That, though, doesn’t in any way suggest that he hasn’t deserved his place because, well, he has – that too, through the sheer weight of domestic performances.
In the ongoing CPL, Rampaul is the leading wicket-taker having scalped 17 wickets in 8 games for the Trinbago Knight Riders. Impressively, he has done so at an economy rate of 7.2 and on pitches that have been conducive to spin and would most likely mirror the conditions in the UAE.
In the fifty-over domestic competition (2020-21 Super 50) that preceded the CPL, Rampaul was the second highest wicket-taker and took 14 wickets in 6 matches, indicating that his selection for the T20 World Cup is not a fluke. Instead, it is a glowing assessment of his form and the new strings he has added to his bow.
Over the past few weeks, Rampaul has been efficient with his changes of pace and that, coupled with the heavy lengths he uses, could be very effective at the T20 World Cup, especially when batters are looking to increase the tempo.
Interestingly enough, Rampaul was not a part of the side that won the T20 World Cup in 2016, meaning that this could well be his shot at eternal glory for the West Indies.
#1 Ravichandran Ashwin (India)
Over the past few weeks, much of the chatter around Indian cricket has surrounded Ravichandran Ashwin’s continued omission in the Test series against England. And, when he was slated to play at Old Trafford, the game was “postponed indefinitely” altogether.
In between, though, he was also drafted into India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which even to Ashwin’s staunchest supporter, would’ve been a massive surprise.
Much like the others on this list, Ashwin has not played T20I cricket for a while. Though he represented India in the T20 World Cup in 2016, he only played three more fixtures post it, with the last of those taking place in July 2017.
Additionally, Ashwin’s supposed dip in form also coincided with India changing tack and deploying wrist-spinners. So, from that perspective alone, it is startling that only one wrist-spinner has made the cut for the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Can Ashwin power India to glory at the T20 World Cup?
Nevertheless, on pitches that are expected to aid spin bowling, it would be intriguing to see how Ashwin acclimatizes. Not just because he seems one of the more adaptable bowlers going around but also because he can be a genuine match-winner if he gets into rhythm. Perhaps this could also be the final piece in India’s T20 World Cup jigsaw.
Though only time will tell how this narrative pans out, there is no denying that Ashwin has infused the bowling attack with some much-needed experience and of course, oomph.
The T20 World Cup can’t come soon enough then, can it?
Also Read: Ravichandran Ashwin, it's time to set the record straight
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