Time to Look Beyond Harmanpreet? India’s Captaincy Conundrum After Another T20 World Cup Exit

 

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Boria Majumdar in London

As the dust settles on India’s group-stage exit in the ongoing T20 World Cup, a lot of people have asked me whether India should continue with Harmanpreet Kaur as captain. It is a very natural and pertinent question. In two consecutive T20 World Cups, India have been unable to progress beyond the group stage. Harmanpreet isn’t getting any younger, and in this particular World Cup her only innings of real consequence was the one against Australia in a losing cause.

While that innings was brilliant, and it was because of her that India were in the game at the halfway stage, the truth is that it was just one effort in five matches. Had she played a similar knock against South Africa in Manchester, India could well have been playing the semi-final at The Oval.

But when we assess Harmanpreet critically, we must also look at the alternatives. Has Smriti done enough in the big games to convince us that she is ready? She started well against Pakistan and followed it up with a good effort against the Netherlands. But in the two key matches that mattered most – against South Africa and Australia – Smriti did not step up. Against South Africa, it was Marizanne Kapp who made the difference, while for Australia it was Ellyse Perry. You need your best players to deliver in these crunch games, and we haven’t seen Smriti do so in this World Cup.

Jemimah Rodrigues, who could have been another captaincy contender, endured a horror World Cup and now runs the risk of losing her place in the T20 side. Apart from the match against Bangladesh, she never looked assured at the crease. Deepti Sharma, too, had a rather ordinary tournament and, after her five-wicket haul against Pakistan, did little else of consequence.

This brings me to the obvious question: who comes after Harman? If she is to be replaced and asked to continue solely as a batter, who is the leader ready to step up? While the natural choice would be Smriti, have we seen enough from her in big matches and major tournaments?

What works in her favour is her constant involvement in on-field decision-making. She has always worked closely with Harmanpreet in setting fields and encouraging the bowlers. She has also been excellent in press conferences and has not shied away from admitting that the team has underperformed. But can she match those leadership qualities with match-winning performances? That is the question that needs to be answered.

When Amol Muzumdar was asked about the issue in the post-match press conference, he gave a diplomatic response, saying the decision rests with the selectors. He also added that, in his personal opinion, Harmanpreet should continue. My question to Amol is straightforward: does he see this Harmanpreet-led team winning India a medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?

Remember, the format will be T20, not 50-over cricket. I have to say I am not convinced they can, and that is what prompts me to ask whether a change at the top is now necessary. Do India need a fresh start and fresh ideas? The jury is still out.

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Also read India Must Confront Fear of Failure After Another T20 World Cup Exit

The post Time to Look Beyond Harmanpreet? India’s Captaincy Conundrum After Another T20 World Cup Exit appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.



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