That's the problem with Team India: Nasser Hussain decodes reason behind Kohli & Co.'s T20 WC debacle

Team India ended their T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, with a nine-wicket win in their last league stage encounter versus Namibia on Monday evening (November 8). As Virat Kohli-led India were knocked out from the semi-finals race, with New Zealand's eight-wicket win over Afghanistan, the one-time winners had a chance to sign off on a high. Kohli & Co. didn't disappoint as they beat Namibia in style with an all-round performance.

Despite their win over Namibia, India ended the T20 WC 2021 edition with three wins and two big defeats, which resulted in their early ouster. India lost their opening two fixtures, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, by big margins and, thus, once again missed out on winning their first-ever ICC title since 2013.

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Former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain decoded reasons behind India's early exit and told while speaking to T20worldcup.com, "You have got to go out and express yourself. They (India) have got so much talent. That may be the only thing that's holding India back in ICC events. They don't quite play the fearless brand of cricket that they deserve to because they are so talented."

"I had them as favourites. They have been playing IPL here, and are a star-studded side. But they got a setback in the first game itself. The way Shaheen Afridi bowled in the powerplay, those two deliveries that Rohit and Rahul got would have got a lot of great cricketers out. That’s sometimes the problem with the Indian side. They are so good at the top, some of the middle-order doesn’t get much of a hit and suddenly you need a Plan B and that was found wanting."

"I see India as a very talented side but sometimes selection wise... Hardik Pandya just playing as a batter alters the balance of the side. Against New Zealand, the idea to split Rohit and Rahul was not a good one," pointed out Hussain.

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Following India's T20 WC campaign, Kohli stepped down as the captain in the shortest format. On the other hand, head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar's respective tenures also came to an end.

India will now be coached by former captain Rahul Dravid, who will take over from the New Zealand home series later this month.