The Indian Cricket Board management will review India’s underwhelming performance in the 20-20 World Cup with skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid on January 1, according to sources.
NCA chief VVS Laxman, who has been with the Indian team in Dravid’s absence, is also expected to be part of the meeting. The meeting in Mumbai is scheduled ahead of the limited overs series against Sri Lanka beginning on January 3.
England handed a humiliating defeat to India by 10 wickets in the 20-20 World Cup semi-finals, extending their barren run in major events since 2013 when they won the Champions Trophy under M S Dhoni’s leadership. The last world title came at home in 2011.
“Head coach Rahul Dravid and NCA head VVS Laxman are expected to analyse India’s performance with Indian Cricket Board bosses. The roadmap going into the 2023 World Cup is also expected to be discussed,” a source was quoted as saying by Times of India.
The selection panel led by Chetan Sharma were shown the door post the World Cup but a new panel is yet to be formed. The committee was sacked in November but it continues to track the ongoing Ranji Trophy and also picked the team for three T20s and ODIs against Sri Lanka.
The Cricket Advisory Committee, which was formed earlier this month, met in Mumbai on Friday to shortlist the list of candidates for the selectors’ posts.
The panel comprises Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe and Sulakshana Naik.
Chetan Sharma and Harvinder Singh have reapplied for the job while the others who have applied include former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad and former India wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia.
India have an uphill task of winning ODI World Cup at home
There are two major events scheduled in 2023, the World Test Championship final and ODI World Cup which will be hosted by India. Rohit Sharma’s men will be eager to end their trophy drought finally this year by winning at least one of these titles.
The year is extremely important for Rohit Sharma as he will most probably be playing his last ODI World Cup. He finished as the highest run-scorer in the previous edition but failed to win the trophy. The ‘Men-in-Blue’ have an uphill task at their hand to lift the World Cup on their home soil.
