FILE PHOTO: Cricket - ICC T20 World Cup 2024 - Final - India v South Africa - Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados - June 29, 2024 India's Surya Kumar lifts the trophy as they celebrate after winning the T20 World Cup REUTERS/Ash Allen/File Photo
NEW DELHI, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Tournament co-hosts India are banking on form and familiarity with conditions as they seek to be the first team to successfully defend the Twenty20 World Cup title in a tournament which finds itself in the eye of a geopolitical storm.
India's golden generation of cricketers -- Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja -- quit T20 Internationals immediately after their World Cup victory in the Caribbean two years ago in a coordinated exit that could have destabilised a lesser side.
While the occasional banner pops up in the stands mentioning how much fans miss them in this format, the team look in safe hands.
Suryakumar Yadav, who led the side in a triumphant Asia Cup campaign last year, has settled in as captain and the world's top-ranked T20 side have found new pillars. Opener Abhishek Sharma and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy lead the batters' and bowlers' charts respectively.
Boasting an explosive batting line-up and a clinical attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, India sent an ominous signal with their victory in the recent home series against New Zealand.
Twice champions England looked in strong form as they whitewashed Sri Lanka in the recent T20 series in spin-friendly conditions.
In Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, they have arguably the most lethal opening pair in this format, complemented by skipper Harry Brook's six-hitting prowess.
England have gambled on Jofra Archer's fitness by retaining the speedster and spinner Adil Rashid will play a key role in conditions conducive to his craft.
Perennial contenders Australia arrived with positives as well as uncertainties. Mitchell Marsh fronts a potent blend of experience and firepower in their batting order but fitness concerns linger over the pace attack.
A combination of hamstring strain and an Achilles' problem kept Josh Hazlewood out of the Ashes series against England as well as the recent T20 series in Pakistan but Australia expect the fast bowler to be fit - even if not at the start of the tournament.
Pat Cummins has been ruled out, though, after failing to recover from a back injury, and Nathan Ellis also picked up a hamstring injury during the Big Bash League and was rested for the series against Pakistan.
INJURY AND GEOPOLITICS
New Zealand also had to recalibrate their pace plans having lost the services of Adam Milne, who has been replaced by the towering Kyle Jamieson.
The Mitchell Santner-led side won the ODI series in India and the subsequent T20 series against the defending champions was a meaningful preparation ahead of their bid for a maiden World Cup title.
South Africa, finalists two years ago, were also forced into late adjustments, replacing the injured Tony de Zorzi and Donovan Ferreira with Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs -- a move designed to preserve top-order stability while maintaining finishing power.
At the other end of the spectrum, Italy will savour their World Cup debut, and being pitted against the game's traditional powerhouses in group matches could prove chastening for some of the less experienced teams.
Scotland have been drafted in to replace Bangladesh, who refused to tour India citing security concerns and demanded to play their matches in Sri Lanka instead.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) dismissed Bangladesh's safety concerns but geopolitical tensions are also threatening to rob the tournament of its biggest match.
Pakistan, irked by the ICC decision on Bangladesh, have decided to boycott the February 15 group stage match against India - pulling the plug on the tournament's most lucrative game on the broadcasting side.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Ed Osmond)
