Former Indian cricketer and well-known commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu has offered crucial advice to the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team as they prepare for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the US and West Indies on 1 of June.
He highlighted the importance of understanding and adapting to the pitch conditions, especially in the United States, which would be crucial for India as the team is not familiar with the pitches and conditions.
Sidhu pointed out that the courts in the US will be courts imported from Australia, and these unpredictable courts will pose a major challenge for the Indian team. He explained that Adelaide courses tend to be flat with good bounce, while Melbourne courses can offer a spongy bounce.
Navjot Singh Sidhu urges India to quickly resolve conditions in US
By contrast, Sydney pitches generally lack significant spin and bounce, and Sidhu suggested Indian players acclimatise to the pitch as quickly as possible. Furthermore, Sidhu highlighted the need for the Men in Blue to quickly find the best combination suitable for these specific conditions if they want to gain early momentum in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
The commentator further made reference to the Mumbai Indians’ struggle during the recent IPL 2024, where they were unable to find their ideal team combination until midway through the tournament, leading to their early exit from the tournament. Sidhu highlighted that finding the right team mix from the start is vital to success in the United States.
He also highlighted the contrasting conditions in the West Indies and the US, with the Caribbean island being known for its dry and harsh fields, so India must acclimatise to these conditions very quickly. The commentator believes that the spinners will not be effective in the US, so he was not sure if India needed four spinners in the mega event.
Navjot Singh Sidhu warns India against repeating Mumbai Indians’ mistakes in ICC T20 World Cup 2024
Navjot Singh Sidhu said on Star Sports: “First of all, you have to figure out the pitch. You haven’t played there yet. The pitch is a walk-in pitch. The arrival comes from Australia. If access is from Adelaide, it will be flat terrain. It will be a rebound shot. If you’re from Melbourne, it’s going to be a spongy pitch. I understand? In Sydney there are no turns.
It won’t be a rebound shot. Therefore, you will have to acclimatize as quickly as possible. And realize that these are the conditions in which we have to fit your players. So you have to make that combination. The sooner you get it, the sooner you can discover your best combination. Mumbai Indians couldn’t find that combination until midway through the tournament.
They hesitated. They failed. For the moment… For me, it is very important. You know what the West Indies are going to give you. Dry fields, hard fields. But what the United States will give them will be most crucial. Because 22 yards will ensure which team you will play for. But we have it all. We have everything and our powder is dry.”
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‘You will have to acclimatize as soon as possible’ – Sidhuji wants #TeamIndia to find out conditions quickly before making relevant changes ✅@sherryontopp believes dynamic combinations in both the US and West Indies will be crucial in the quest for the … pic .twitter.com/h7Col37F7i
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 29, 2024
Notably, in the build-up to their first T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 1 in New York, the Indian team began their preparations with a light training session on May 29. This training session was led by strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai.
The players participated in a series of light running drills with some fun activities. However, they did not have any cricket training, prioritizing acclimatization to the time zone change in the United States. Team India will kick off its T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.