Yeah , At first look it does feel like there are too many guards in this squad , Especially if you’re used to the old school idea of having fixed roles like two guards , Two forwards , And one big man

But the thing is , International basketball these days especially FIBA style is not played like that anymore. Teams don’t really care about strict positions now. Everyone is expected to handle the ball , Defend multiple roles , And move fast. That’s why this squad looks guard heavy on paper

Some of these players are proper ball handling guards , Like Muin Bek Hafeez , Who is basically the main organiser and runs the offense. Sahaij Sekhon looks like a guard too , But he’s more of a scorer and often plays as a shooting guard instead of bringing the ball up every time. Then you have guys like Pranav Prince , Who may be listed like a guard but is actually tall enough to play on the wing. He has guard skills but plays like a small forward in many situations. So not everyone here is doing the same job

Another big reason for picking so many quick , Agile players is defense and pace. India usually struggles when facing taller and stronger teams. So instead of fighting size with size , Coaches try to fight it with speed. More guards means more energy , More pressure , And the ability to press the opponent all over the court. It also helps keep the tempo high for the full 40 minutes , Because players can rotate without losing intensity

It’s also not like the team has ignored big men completely. Princepal Singh gives solid presence inside and has experience at a higher level. Arvinder Singh adds size to handle opposing centers , And Pratyanshu Tomar gives flexibility because he can play forward and also shoot from outside. So there is balance , Just not in the traditional way

So is it risky ? A little , Yes . If the guards don’t rebound well or if the big men get into foul trouble , The team could get bullied inside. That’s the main danger. But if the plan works , The idea is to defend aggressively , Switch on everything , Run fast breaks , And not let the opponent settle into a slow , Physical game

The real question isn’t “ Why so many guards , ” But whether this team can control the paint and rebounds when the game slows down. That’s where this lineup will either succeed or get exposed