India's World Cup stars needed a break before IPL 2026: Ian Bishop
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop suggests India's T20 World Cup winners might have benefited from a longer break before the IPL, citing their subsequent inconsistent performances. He also advocates for more varied pitches to balance the game between bat and ball, noting that strong bowling is crucial for champion teams.
MUMBAI: Would India’s T20 World Cup winners have fared better had they been given a longer break before turning out for their respective IPL franchises? Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop, for one, thinks so. The World Cup stars got around 20 days off before the IPL began, and with their bodies still jaded, the results are there to see.
Barring Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan, none of the batters from that team have been consistent in the IPL, while none of the bowlers feature among the top 20 wicket-takers. The team that has borne the brunt the most is Mumbai Indians, with marquee Indian players like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma blowing more cold than hot. “Speaking from the outside, what Bumrah, SKY and Arshdeep put in to win that T20 World Cup at home must have been exhausting.
I would have liked to see some of those guys — particularly Bumrah, who was excellent in the World Cup — being given a break to refresh, sit back, analyse, and fine-tune the skills that would take them to another level. I would have liked to see them enjoy the success and refresh themselves,” Bishop said during an interaction on Thursday. He cited the example of Kolkata Knight Riders’ Varun Chakravarthy and how the rest — due to injury — helped him.
Since his return, the mystery spinner has taken seven wickets in four matches. Bishop also advocated for more varied pitches to balance the contest between bat and ball, which has been skewed this season, with 10 totals of 200-plus already chased down. “I like the mix of pitches that a tournament can produce.