India's Batting Depth Tested as World Cup Progresses
With five straight league victories, India's progress in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 has been nothing short of remarkable. But while they wait for their middle-order hitters to rise up and share the load of scoring runs, the squad is up against a big obstacle.
The majority of runs scored in the event have come from India's top order, which is led by seasoned players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Virat Kohli (354 runs) and Rohit Sharma (311 runs) have combined for a massive 55.37% of the team's 1,201 runs (including extras) scored. These two Indian batsmen are the only ones who have scored hundreds in the competition, as well.
On the other hand, Quinton de Kock (3), Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, and Rassie van der Dussen are the four players who have scored hundreds for South Africa, an opponent of India that will play soon.
India's middle-order batsmen, particularly Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill, must build on their strong starts and turn them into match-winning innings if they are to keep up a balanced and fearsome batting lineup. Iyer and Gill have both shown off their skill with powerful blows, but they have also been guilty of losing wickets far too readily on several occasions.
Although Shreyas Iyer's ability to handle short deliveries has improved, bowlers still focus on this area. Against Afghanistan and Pakistan, he demonstrated resilience in pivotal moments, but he was inconsistent against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
Shubman Gill has proven he can score boundaries. He rejoined the team after missing the first several games due to illness. But in his pursuit of aggression, he has sometimes failed when a more measured approach was required.
Both Iyer and Gill's dismissals were frequently the consequence of overly ambitious moves that weren't suitable for the circumstances. Although India has embraced a positive brand of cricket, a more measured approach is required, as shown by the actions of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have shown responsibility and followed their positions in the batting order.
India's three best batsmen in the 2019 World Cup were largely responsible for their team's defeat in the knockout stages. India's middle order has been more stable this time around, but they still need their middle-order batsmen to provide regular contributions to strengthen their campaign.
In order to improve their prospects of winning the World Cup, India hopes to see more of their batters step up and contribute well as they move closer to the elimination stage. Even if India has been winning lately, the problem of middle-order runs still needs to be addressed if the team is to have long-term success in the competition.
