World Cup-winning India player bats for inclusion of 'new breed of players' in T20I squad

Former Team India cricketer Robin Uthappa has urged team selectors to give more chances to youngsters in the Indian T20I squad. Uthappa’s comments come after India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 campaign ended on a disappointing note on November 10 in Adelaide. India suffered a humiliating 10-wicket loss after failing to defend their first innings total of 168/6, as Jos Buttler and Alex Hales stitched together a record partnership of 170 runs.

‘There’s certainly room for youngsters now’: Robin Uthappa

Meanwhile, revealing his thoughts in the exclusive column for ICC Media Zone, Uthappa said youngsters certainly have more room for themselves in T20 cricket. Keeping the next edition of the T20 World Cup in 2024, Uthappa suggested that the team needs to fill in gaps in the shortest format as far as finishers are concerned. “There’s certainly room for youngsters now. There are a few gaps to fill in T20 cricket as far as finishers are concerned and they may have to look to the future in that sense,” Uthappa wrote in his exclusive column for ICC Media Zone.

The 2007 T20 World Cup-winning cricketer mentioned Sanju Samson and Rahul Tripathi in his comments and said he would love to see them given more opportunities. “I’d love to see Sanju Samson and Rahul Tripathi in this side. They are both very exciting, very good young players,” Uthappa added.

Robin Uthappa speaks about Team India’s shock defeat to England

Shedding light on the bowling line-up, Uthappa named two inexperienced bowlers who should be given more chances. At the same time, the former CSK batter also added that he doesn’t think that the squad will undergo many changes ahead of the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 in India. “On the bowling side, I’d like to see Umran Malik and Deepak Hooda get an opportunity. That said I don’t think there will be too many changes in personnel for the 2023 Cricket World Cup on home soil."

The cricketer made no excuses for India’s poor show in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final against England. He rejected the idea that India have a mental block in ICC events as they play in the IPL, which is arguably the best tournament in the world. “They are used to high-pressure situations, they aren’t novices. On these big matchdays, India just haven’t turned up like they turn up in bilateral series or individually in the IPL,” he added.