Mentor MS Dhoni and Billion Cheers Jersey: Why India's T20 World Cup 2021 campaign will be remembered forever
India at T20 World Cup 2021
With an aim to win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy, the Virat Kohli-led Team India will square off against top cricket teams in United Arab Emirates and Oman.
Previously, the Men in Blue won the inaugural title in 2007 under the leadership of MS Dhoni and in the 2021 edition also, the team will look forward to repeating a similar encore.
Several critics and cricket pundits have already branded the Viral Kohli & Co. as the favourites to win the tournament.
Virat Kohli's stint as captain
While an ICC trophy has eluded Kohli as a leader, this time he will be looking forward to winning the coveted trophy as he has already announced that he will give up the India Twenty20 captaincy after the World Cup.
"Understanding workload is a very important thing... I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian team in Test and ODI cricket," said Kohli. Previously, Kohli led the Men in Blue to the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the semi-final of the 2019 50-over World Cup.
Mentor MS Dhoni
Despite the bright stars in the Indian squad, all the eyes will be on former captain MS Dhoni, who will act as the team mentor for the Twenty20 World Cup.
The 40-year-old, who retired from international cricket last year, is India's most successful captain having won the World Cup, the inaugural T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy.
Billion cheers jersey
The Indian cricket board unveiled the team's jersey, which is inspired by the fans and called the 'Billion Cheers Jersey'. It comes in shades of prussian blue and royal blue.
It is important to note that for the first time in the history of Indian cricket that fans have been memorialised on a jersey. It carries their chants and cheers from iconic past matches, transformed into unique soundwave patterns," stated a release from ML Sports.
As COVID-19 has restricted most of the fans to watch the matches live from the ground and be part of the frenzy, their support will be with the Indian team...this time in the form of the jersey.
(Image credit: @BCCI)
Shastri's tenure as India's head coach
The tournament will also mark the end of Ravi Shastri's tenure as India's head coach in the November 14 final in Dubai. Since replacing Anil Kumble in mid-2017, Shastri, 59, has overseen two-Test series victories in Australia, although the side crashed out in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup in England. The T20 World Cup win can be a double celebration for Shastri.
)
)
)
)
)