T20 World Cup 2022: Will Rohit Sharma's form cost India in the semi-final?

Perhaps it speaks to how strong India is that they are one of the best teams in the tournament despite some weaknesses, but India hasn't always looked comfortable in certain situations. 

This is especially true when focusing on two issues that are, in many ways, intertwined. One is India's knack for making poor starts during the powerplays. And the other is Rohit Sharma's lack of form. 

How exactly are they interlinked? Because India has been unable to accelerate quickly at the start – a job mainly taken on by Rohit Sharma– India has often looked sluggish in the powerplays. 

KL Rahul himself coming off a year where he spent a significant amount of time on the sidelines, has been tentative at the start. But he always started slightly slow and looked to bat long. 

Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, used the powerplays well, and he cannot do so now. Perhaps it is down to him trying too hard to be aggressive from the get-go – but it is costing India. 

And indeed, it is an issue that could come back to haunt the side. A lot of the run-scoring load for India so far has been shouldered by Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order. 

However, to win a tournament, you need a team firing on all cylinders. And India is not able to do that right now. 

The issue is doubly problematic because, in T20 cricket, a good start is necessary. Making sure to make the most of the field restrictions being put in place would mean saving 36 of the 120 balls afforded to you in a T20 game. 

This is especially true in Australia, where it is easy to hit the shiny new ball but harder to put away once it grows softer and older and offers up some assistance for the spinner. 

Thus, taking advantage of the power plays is crucial. However, one key factor that works in India's favour – every other team in the semis is struggling with the opening pair. 

Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, seen as their two best batsmen, have only made an impact in the tournament up until now. 

New Zealand's Devon Conway and Finn Allen only performed well against Australia in their opening game and have struggled since. 

And England openers Jos Buttler and Alex Hales, both extremely destructive batsmen at their peak, have been subdued – although Alex Hales has shown flashes of what he is capable of. 

It shows that the pitches in Australia still have something in them for the bowlers upfront. But India would have still preferred to have their openers in form going into the knockouts. 

Nevertheless, the key is to ensure they get back to form by any means as soon as the knockout stage begins.