Rohit Sharma thrown like a fly out of milk as Irfan Pathan picks India's 4 mot important players vs Afghanistan

Former India All-rounder Irfan Pathan has pointed out the challenges that the Indian team will face in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8s.

Rohit Sharma's Men in Blue will be locking horns against Group B winners Australia and Group C and D runners-up Afghanistan and Bangladesh. They will be attempting to enter their 2nd consecutive World T20 semi-final, having lost the 2022 one against England during the edition which took place at the Land Down Under.

The Indian team will also be attempting to reach their first T20 WC final since the 2014 edition when they had become runners-up to the Sri Lanka team. Since then, India have appeared in two out of the three semi-finals and it will be interesting to see if they can pass the semis and reach the finale.

Rohit Sharma has a very good chance of becoming the first captain since MS Dhoni to win a major ICC silverware. He could have achieved that feat last year itself had the Aussies not denied them in the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup final. But with a new year, there's a new hope that Rohit can at last quench the thirst of a million Indian fans.

Ahead of India's Super 8 matches, inaugural T20 WC winner Irfan Pathan has come up with a few suggestions.

Irfan Pathan's gameplan against Afghanistan

Irfan Pathan asked the Indian team to come up with a solid batting plan against the potent bowling attack of Afghanistan. Pathan feels that Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Hardik Pandya will have to play a crucial role with the bat. He stressed Surya specifically because he has the talent to play well against spinners.

Pathan also hoped for Virat Kohli to score runs but he feels that the batting stalwart will find his way to get runs under his belt.

"Having a good plan against the Afghanistani bowling line-up is very important for the Indian team. At the same time, I feel Suryakumar Yadav will have a crucial role to play because they have a lot of good spinners and Surya has a range of shots against slow bowlers."

"Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja should be able to bat well, too, and I hope that happens. Virat Kohli should also be able to score and he is the type of player who'll find a way out." - Pathan told Star Sports.

As for Bangladesh, Irfan Pathan claimed that Shakib Al Hasan specifically could be a threat and so would be the underrated pace attack.

Aggressive batting against Australia

Last but not least, India's biggest threat is Australia. Irfan Pathan feels that the Aussies might have an added advantage because they played all their Group matches in the West Indies while India played in the USA. To see them off, Pathan feels that the batters will have to bat aggressively as in the bowling department, the Jasprit Bumrah-led department can come on top of them.

#<!---->T<!---->e<!---->a<!---->m<!---->I<!---->n<!---->d<!---->i<!---->a will need to be wary of the characteristic challenges they face in the 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝟖 from different teams in the Caribbean 👀@<!---->I<!---->r<!---->f<!---->a<!---->n<!---->P<!---->a<!---->t<!---->h<!---->a<!---->n wants @<!---->s<!---->u<!---->r<!---->y<!---->a<!---->_<!---->1<!---->4<!---->k<!---->u<!---->m<!---->a<!---->r, @<!---->i<!---->m<!---->V<!---->k<!---->o<!---->h<!---->l<!---->i and other batters to step up against Australia, Afghanistan & Bangladesh to progress further 💙… p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->e<!---->2<!---->Q<!---->m<!---->4<!---->V<!---->u<!---->u<!---->i<!---->c

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) J<!---->u<!---->n<!---->e<!----> <!---->1<!---->8<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->4

"Then comes the Australian challenge. They have a proven team, come with a lot of all-rounders and they have the added advantage because they have played in West Indies before India. Showing aggression and batting aggressively against them will be very important and in terms of bowling, we can definitely topple them." - Irfan Pathan concluded.