India Cricket Team Stranded in Barbados After T20 World Cup Victory Due to Hurricane Warning

On Sunday night local time, Hurricane Beryl (Category 4) is predicted to pass over Barbados, with its center located about 80 miles off the southern shore. Currently, India is staying at the Hilton. Originally, they had planned to take a charter directly home, but since Sunday night, the airport has been closed. On Sunday, South Africa had already departed.

After the winning squad arrives in India, the board is organizing a felicitation, according to BCCI secretary Jay Shah. “We’re locked here too, just like you. We would consider the felicitation after the travel arrangements are finalized,” Shah told reporters in Barbados.

Jay Shah: New India coach to take charge from SL series

Shah said that a new head coach for the Indian side will take over for Rahul Dravid once the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka begins later this month, but he withheld the identity of the chosen candidate.

Gautam Gambhir, a former opener for India, is the favorite to become the head coach. Gambhir and former India women’s coach WV Raman were on the shortlist for the position after the Cricket Advisory Committee [CAC] held interviews.

“Appointments for both coaches and selectors will be made soon,” stated Shah, who is now in the Caribbean with the Indian side that won the 2024 T20 World Cup. “After conducting interviews and shortlisting two candidates, CAC will follow their decision after they reach Mumbai. While VVS Laxman is leaving for Zimbabwe, a new coach from the Sri Lanka series will be joining.”

Beginning on July 27, the Indian squad will embark on a three-match T20I and three-match ODI tour of Sri Lanka.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who contributed a game-winning knock in India’s seven-run victory against South Africa in the Barbados final, were also commended by Shah for their efforts. Following the victory, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja joined Kohli and Rohit in declaring their retirement from Twenty20 Internationals, and a day later, they were joined by Jadeja.

Also Read: India Wins A Nail-Biting Thriller Against South Africa to Win The ICC T20 World Cup 2024

“The captain is the same as it was in Barbados and last year. With the exception of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, which Australia won, we won every game. We played better and tried even harder this time to win the championship,” Shah remarked. Experience matters, as other teams demonstrate. Virat to Rohit, they were all really good.

There is a big gap in experience. You can’t really experiment much at World Cups either. We saw yesterday that a good player knows when to give up on the game. When you compare Rohit’s strike rate to many young players, it is superior.”

After losing two ICC finals in the last year—the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup final—India, who had lost significant finals in the previous ten years, finally ended their title drought. Shah hoped the winning streak would continue.

“I would like India to take home every crown. With just three players from this team heading to Zimbabwe, we have the strongest bench. If necessary, we are able to field three teams,” he stated. “With the way this team is playing, we want to win the Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship final.” There will be a comparable team participating. There will be senior citizens present.

Regarding Hardik Pandya’s T20 World Cup performance as a whole and his prospects of unseat Rohit as captain, Shah stated: “The selectors will decide on captaincy, and we will announce it after talking with them. You inquired about Hardik; there were many doubts over his form, but the selectors had faith in him, and he demonstrated his abilities.”

The next trip for India is to Zimbabwe for a five-match Twenty20 International series that kicks off in Harare on July 6. There, Shubman Gill will captain the Indian team while many elders are on leave. In addition, Shah declared that an India A squad will visit Australia in the latter part of the year in preparation for the Border Gavaskar Trophy.