MUMBAI: Ask the members of India’s previous World Cup winning sides on the key to their success and most would highlight the role of all-rounders. Skipper Kapil Dev was the outstanding player of 1983, flanked by Mohinder Amarnath, Roger Binny and Madan Lal – players who could bat and also deliver useful overs, or bowlers who could chip in with the bat.

It was also the case when Sunil Gavaskar’s team won the 1985 World Championship of Cricket in Australia, Ravi Shastri joining Kapil Dev in the premier all-rounders bracket while the other all-rounders of the 1983 batch were also part of the team.

Captain MS Dhoni had the same success formula at the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup. While Yuvraj Singh’s role with the ball was limited in 2007, he starred with bat and ball in 2011. The 2007 batch had the Pathan brothers, Irfan and Yusuf, while Dhoni used Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina to slip in a few overs in 2011.

In the just concluded T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma’s team was similarly well served by all-rounders.

Like Yuvraj Singh in 2011, Hardik Pandya provided the balance to the team this time with crucial breakthroughs and valuable runs. Along with Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik lent flexibility in the batting line-up and bowling, which helped in crucial junctures in India’s run to the title.

The Baroda cricketer was the stand-out performer with 144 runs at a strike-rate of 151.57 while providing finishing with 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.64. Most of all, he handled the pressure situations well. In batting, he made a difference with vital contributions in challenging phases. His knocks of 50*, 27* and 23 against Bangladesh, Australia and England showcased his death-over power-hitting. Nothing could, however, match his breakthroughs with the ball in the final. With South Africa easing towards victory, needing just run a ball with six wickets in hand, he turned the title clash on its head with Heinrich Klaasen’s wicket and then delivered a calm last over to win it for India with a spell of 3-0-20-3.

“By picking 11 wickets in the tournament Hardik showed he is one of the best all-rounders in world cricket,” said his coach and mentor, Kiran More.

Axar dazzles

The under-rated Axar was vital for India with his adaptability. Employed as a floater in the batting line-up, he scored useful runs in the earlier rounds but his most decisive contribution with the bat came in the final. India lost Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant in the second over, and then Suryakumar Yadav also fell, reducing the innings to 34/3 in 4.3 overs. Promoted to No.5, Axar hit 47 off 31 balls (6x4). Dominating his fourth wicket partnership of 72 (54 balls) with Virat Kohli, he helped India recover to 106/4 in 13.3 overs. India ended at 176/7 in 20 overs, eventually winning by seven runs.

It was a big call to promote Axar ahead of more established batters, but the team management had seen how he coped at No.4 against Pakistan’s lethal pace attack in New York’s pace-friendly conditions. In a total of 119, the southpaw got 20 off 18 balls.

The left-arm spinner provided an important breakthrough as well. He was targetted in one over by Klaasen, but had already removed the dangerous Tristan Stubbs. The Gujarat player took nine wickets at an ER of 7.86 and scored 92 runs in five innings, averaging 23. He excelled in the field too, turning the Super Eight game against Australia in St. Lucia on its head with a stunning one-handed catch at deep square-leg to dismiss skipper Mitch Marsh. Marsh (37/28b) and Travis Head had the Indian bowling under pressure with a second wicket partnership of 80 in eight overs.

“This time, I felt I had to do something good for India. Finally, I did it. I’m feeling so proud,” Axar told the official broadcaster after the triumph.

The role of the three all-rounders came to the fore in the semi-final against England. When Surya got out in the 16th over, India were a far from healthy 124. Hardik hit 23 off 13 balls, Jadeja 17 off nine balls and Axar 10 off six balls with a six to get the total to 171/7, which proved more than enough on a difficult pitch at the Providence Stadium, Guyana.

Seen as an understudy to Jadeja, it was a game when Axar emerged from his shadows with a brilliant spell – 4-0-23-3 – removing Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow.

Jadeja helped build the pressure with a spell of 3-0-16-0. The 35-year-old didn’t get wickets in this World Cup but played the support role well by being economical – an ER of 7.57 in eight games. He delivered tight spells against Bangladesh (3-0-24-0), Afghanistan (3-0-20-1) and Pakistan 2-0-10-0.

It is time for India to rebuild the T20 team and the focus will be on unearthing good all-rounders to support Hardik and Axar. For India in World Cups, it has been the winning formula.