What if... India lose the T20 World Cup?

Indian squad 

Anticipation is in the air. The ICC T20 World Cup is right around the corner and sneaking up on us. India last won the tournament in 2007 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, since then the team has failed to recreate the moments that stay true in every fan's heart: An Indian captain lifting the trophy as confetti and fireworks fill the air. 

The Indian squad has been through strikingly turbulent times in the recent past. Through injuries and bad form, tournament losses and humiliating defeats, a question looms over our heads: 

What if India lose the T20 World Cup? And what could be possibly be the reasons for it?

Will death bowling be the death of the Indian dream?

In some ways, India has built its bowling lineup around death specialist Jasprit Bumrah. And India has most certainly put all its faith and confidence in the pace bowler. Bumrah has been the pace attack leader in every sense of the word.

Recent matches have painfully highlighted how dangerous Bumrah's absence is for the team. India's battle with Australia in Mohali ended in a humiliating loss after the bowling line up failed to fare well in the death overs. Blunder after blunder, India failed to deliver in death. 

India doesn't really have a solid, foundational bench strength that could take over Bumrah's responsibility now that he is out of the squad. 

Who comes in when? The tales of an unstable batting lineup 

The Indian management has been playing the scientist; quite a lot of experiments have been brewing in the batting lineup. KL Rahul, who has been named the vice-captain for the World Cup squad has been struggling with his form AND what position he should bat at. He has been toying with opening and batting in the middle order but has found comfort in neither. 

Rohit Sharma too has been unable to deliver any worthwhile performances, meaning the top order is quite fragile. Not to mention, with Shikhar Dhawan out of the team there is an absence of a left-hander at the top. 

The captain on deck 

It's difficult to take over the reins of a team that has seen the top of cloud nine. It's even more difficult to succeed the most successful Indian captain of all time. Virat Kohli had a lot on his shoulders when he took the baton from MS Dhoni. But that weight has now been successfully transferred on Rohit Sharma's head. 

Sharma's first World Cup as a captain, also while being in inconsistent form. Tournaments like these have a tendency to make or break captains. With a new captain and an unstable team in tow, will the skipper be able to take the pressures?

Although, Sharma is the second most successful T20I captain after surpassing Kohli in the recent Asia Cup with numbers better than his predecessor. 

Absence of a solid all-rounder

After a series of injury woes at the Indian camp, Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the squad following a serious knee injury. 

Jadeja, an all-rounder in every sense of the word, contributes to the team in more than many ways. Regularly featuring as a finisher, Jadeja is also an exceptional fielder. In the shortest format of the game, teams have won matches on the back of their brilliant fielding. Not to mention that Jadeja has, more than once, turned a match around solely with the ball. 

With his absence, India may or may not struggle in the middle, during tight overs and on the field when boundaries need to be saved.

Also Read: What if... MS Dhoni was never made the Indian captain?