Tom Moody, a well-respected commentator and cricket expert, has highlighted the complexity of team selection facing various countries for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Moody described the upcoming World Cup team selections as among the most intricate, citing the wealth of resources, notably in spin bowling and the middle order.
“This is one of the most complex selections that I think any country is going to have going into this World Cup, purely because it’s a sport for resources. The resources are endless, not so much on the fast bowling front, but on the spin front and the middle order and the top order,” he said while speaking on Star Sports’ Press Room Show.
“It’s unbelievable what’s available. And you could argue to the point that you can pick five different teams and they’ll be all as good as each other. The number one point I want to get across is you’ve got to have a left-right hand combination because you will find yourself in a situation, particularly if the surface does offer a little bit of turn or they’re slow, every team will line up with a left arm spinner to open the bowling,” he added.
Moody suggested the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, emphasizing the need to avoid exposing potential weaknesses early in the game. Regarding the pivotal number three position, Moody acknowledged Virat Kohli’s recent form and impressive track record, making him a strong contender for the spot.
“It’s an absolute no brainer and it’s a proven way to slow things down, if not take an early wicket. So you don’t want that, before even the coin toss where you’ve shown your opposition a potential weakness. So I definitely go with Rohit and Jaiswal at the top of the order. The discussion is, whether Virat is your number three? I think given the form that he’s shown recently and given his record in internationals and on the big stage is quite phenomenal, you’d have to seriously consider him as your number three,” he added.
Furthermore, Moody highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the conditions, particularly in venues like New York. He advocated for the inclusion of experienced players to navigate unfamiliar conditions and counter the exuberance of youthful opponents.
“The other point that the four of the games are going to be in New York. We don’t know that. We’re guessing to what the conditions are going to be like. I would rather have an old head, an experienced campaigner to navigate what may or may not be out there in the middle against that sort of youthful, sort of brash approach to take on a situation when the surface and the conditions don’t allow you to do that. So I’d rather have that experienced old head to be able to navigate that challenge for me, so I get through into the tournament where I need to be playing in the finals,” Moody concluded.
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