T20 World Cup 2024: India’s team balance could be a problem, opines Scott Styris
New Delhi: New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris feels that Rohit Sharma-led Team India has a problem with their team balance in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Styris acknowledged the talent of the Indian squad but also pointed out their weak points while announcing his five favourite teams of the tournament.
“I think there are probably four or maybe five (favourites) at any given time if they all find their form. South Africa looks quite good coming in. The conditions will be very interesting, it can be the determining factor. India has got a lot of talent, but they have holes as well. They don’t field really well. The balance of the team could be a problem,” Styris told JioCinema.
“West Indies at home, I think will be good. England and Australia, those two sides could be the x-factors,” he added.
Meanwhile, former Australia captain Shane Watson believes India skipper Rohit can quash concerns around his form by performing in the World Cup, comparing him to 2021 Player of the Tournament David Warner.
“It took David Warner a few games to get up and running in the T20 World Cup. It wasn’t halfway through the tournament that he turned it on. People talk about how great it is to go into the T20 World Cup with heaps of form, but great players find a way to step up and get things together at the right time. Rohit Sharma knows how to turn it on when he needs to,” he said.
Watson backed his countrymen to lift the cup but was wary of the threat India could present depending on the conditions.
“I can never get past Australia, they can turn things on when they need to. With India, the way they’ve picked their team, if things come about nicely and their spinners have the impact they think they’ll have in the conditions, there’s no question they can go on a big run,” Watson added.
India will play their tournament opener against Ireland at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 5.