India’s spin trio of Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav and vice-captain Axar Patel have been standout performers in the build-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and former India captain Anil Kumble believes the much-debated dew factor is unlikely to pose a major challenge for them during the tournament.
With the World Cup scheduled to be held in February and March and several matches set to begin late in the evening, dew is expected to influence conditions. However, Kumble feels India’s spinners have the experience to cope with it.
“Dew is certainly going to play its part, especially during the time of the World Cup in February and March, with matches being played late in the evening. It’s not going to be easy. As spinners, you tend to get used to bowling with a wet ball; it’s nothing new,” Kumble said on JioHotstar.
The legendary leg-spinner pointed out that Varun, in particular, may be less impacted by dew because of his distinct bowling attributes.
“One aspect that India can certainly take comfort from is that I don’t think it affects someone like Varun Chakaravarthy because of the grip he has on the ball and the pace at which he bowls. I don’t think dew will bother him that much.
“Yes, it’s not the same as bowling with a dry ball, of course, but with a wet ball, I don’t see Varun struggling too much. Similarly, Axar Patel should also be fine. The one person who might find it a bit more difficult is Kuldeep Yadav with a wet ball because of his bowling style. Having said that, Kuldeep is also used to bowling in these conditions,” he added.
Kumble also underlined that team selection should be driven by strength rather than overemphasis on conditions.
“The dew shouldn’t really matter; you should still look to play your best eleven regardless of the venue and conditions. If the best eleven on that surface, against the team India are playing, requires you to go with all three spinners, then so be it. If it’s just two spinners, then Varun will probably be slightly ahead of Kuldeep, especially if you know it’s going to be really wet when India bowl second, if that happens,” he said.
Reflecting on India’s prospects of defending their T20 World Cup title on home soil, Kumble acknowledged the challenge of retaining a crown in the shortest format.
“I think when it comes to World Cups, winning back-to-back titles is not easy, especially in the T20 format. No team has been able to defend its title, and this presents a great opportunity for India to do that. I certainly believe that the kind of form the team is in, and the strength of the playing squad, means India are well equipped to face any situation.
“India should certainly qualify for the semifinals, and from there on, it’s anybody’s game. On that particular day, how the team performs will eventually matter. But I genuinely believe India have a great chance to win the World Cup and make it a truly special one by winning back-to-back titles,” he added.
The T20 World Cup will start on February 7, with defending champions and hosts India facing the USA in the tournament opener.