New Delhi, India

Rohit Sharma, who is set to lead India's charge in the 2022 T20 World Cup, recently offered his take on the importance of depth in the squad, as the Men in Blue set off on a heavily packed season of international cricket.

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He admitted that placing all their faith in a handful of battle-tested veterans of the sport like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and more would be a mistake that could exact a heavy toll on the team's prospects of emerging triumphant at the end of the season.

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In a recent interaction with the media, Rohit Sharma offered his two cents on why it is essential to hone young talent in the team. "(Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Shami and all these guys will not be with the Indian team forever, so you have to try and prepare the other guys.

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"Myself and Rahul (Dravid) bhai spoke about how we are going to create our bench strength because that's going to be very crucial considering the amount of cricket we play, considering the injury factors and everything."

He subsequently revealed why youngsters like Shahbaz Ahmed and Rahul Tripathi were being given more opportunities to display their talents on the big stage. "The guys are getting exposure and our aim is to create bench strength, so that's why in Zimbabwe, there are a lot of players who are touring for the first time - be it Shahbaz Ahmed, Rahul Tripathi - and it is a good exposure.

"They are really talented and will grab the opportunity. It's about getting the confidence at this stage, which I am sure they will learn. Playing for the country matters the most."

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Considering how India has been in an ICC title drought since 2013, the team is seemingly hard at work, competing in various international tournaments to prepare themselves for the challenge that awaits them. The Indian contingents competing in said tournaments feature a number of fresh-faced players, who hope to earn some valuable experience to bolster the future of the team