A lot of the blame for India’s failure at the T20 World Cup was levied on their “template” of playing the shortest format of the game and their inability to find the perfect balance in the playing XI.
Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri have made ways for Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma to take over the reins and turn things around in the T20 cricket for India and Rohit has conceded the men in blue have to get their “template” right while playing T20 cricket.
He said players will have to accept failures that come with playing the fearless brand of cricket and that will be an important aspect of their performance in the format. He also said that India don’t have to emulate the templates of other sides but they will make their own way and decide what is best for them to produce results.
He also chose to overlook India’s disastrous performance in the T20 World Cup and said that in general, the team have done well in the format regardless of not winning ICC tournaments.
“We just need to set the template right, and we have time to do that. India have been good in T20Is but we just haven't won an ICC tournament... I'm not saying we should follow some other team's template, we should set our own template,” Rohit said at the first press conference as India’s full-time captain in T20Is.
“I think it's an important aspect of the format, where players have that confidence to take their chances. Sometimes you need to play fearlessly but you may not be successful each time. So we will certainly keep an eye on that aspect.”
Rohit also underlined the importance of having a bowling all-rounder to add depth in the side—an aspect of the game they have struggled with in the past, more so after the injury to Hardik Pandya.
Although Pandya is more a batsman than a bowler as an all-rounder, the comfort of two to three overs he used to give his captain when he was fit could have meant a lot in India deciding a playing XI in the T20 games.
India have brought in Venkatesh Iyer, who is believed to provide them with a like-to-like offering as Hardik Pandya, but Rohit did not pinpoint any player who needs to be developed for a larger role.
“I understand the importance of a bowling all-rounder, but we have to groom everyone. We have to focus on being effective as a team, have to keep an eye on everyone. We will see whatever is required to be a successful team in this format,” he said.
India and New Zealand are set to play a three-match long T20I series starting tomorrow in Jaipur. India have announced a new leadership group starting this series and a lot of what they are trying to do with their “template” should be visible from the first game against the Blackcaps in Jaipur.