The Indian Premier League (IPL) has returned for its 17th edition in 2024, and the tournament is in full swing now. The first 20-odd matches have thrown up some shock results, as well as exceptional performances from players both young and old.
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Ever since its inception, the league has been seen as a stepping stone to international cricket for many talented youngsters. After developing their skills in the domestic game, the IPL gives them a chance to test themselves against some of the biggest stars in the sport.
This year’s IPL is particularly relevant as it precedes the T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies this summer. As a result, performance in the tournament could decide whether a player makes it to the final set of fifteen for India or not.
Some tough questions have been asked over the likes of Rohit Sharma (age: 36) and Virat Kohli (35). These two batters have served India well, but one appears on the wane in the shortest format while the other seems ill-suited to the demands of the modern T20 game.
There have been suggestions among many fans and experts that in general, India should look to move on from their seniors in the T20 format, and allow younger players to take them forward. This was India’s template ahead of the 2007 T20 World Cup, which remains the country’s only trophy in this format to date. The likes of Piyush Chawla, Joginder Sharma, Rohit Sharma and Yusuf Pathan took India to victory under the leadership of a young captain in MS Dhoni.
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The circumstances in 2007 were very different, though. India’s seniors then were not a part of the tournament as it came on the back of a humiliating exit at the 50-over World Cup earlier that year, and T20 was a new, developing format at the time. That is not the case today. As an established form of the game, India’s current seniors have grown with it throughout their careers, and are no strangers to T20.
Add this to the fact that India has not won an ICC trophy since 2013, a period that includes many of the country’s best white-ball sides ever and there is a compelling case that those who have served the team well for so long deserve the chance to end this drought.
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The case against this, however, is that younger players bursting onto the scene are still more comfortable with the demands of this format, and can adapt far easier. It is a tempting prospect to see the likes of Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal and more play fearlessly in India colours.
Sending a younger, more inexperienced side is also likely to reduce the pressure of expectation on the players, which in turn could lead to more free-flowing performances. Success with this approach could also open the door to more specialised selection for T20 cricket in India. It is undoubtedly an exciting and tempting avenue. However, team selection over the last few years have indicated that it is also one that does not seem likely to happen, at least in the near future.
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Rahul is a content producer for The Sporting News’ India edition.
