WI T20I series: India’s top order under pressure in must-win game
India, which last lost to the West Indies in a bilateral T20 series back in 2016, trails 0-2 in the five-match series.
A buoyant West Indies will look to clinch the series.
PROVIDENCE (GUYANA): Staring at a rare series defeat in the Caribbean, India will need to bat with the fearlessness required in the shortest format when it faces the West Indies in the must-win third T20 International here Tuesday.
The slow pitches on offer have not been the best for batting but as skipper Hardik Pandya pointed out after the loss on Sunday, India should have found a way to score an additional 10-20 runs.
India, which last lost to the West Indies in a bilateral T20 series back in 2016, trails 0-2 in the five-match series.
The shortest format demands the batters to go hard from ball one and that is something India’s top-order, comprising Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav, have not been able to do.
The top-order’s failure has put extra pressure on the likes of Sanju Samson and rookie Tilak Varma, who has taken to international cricket like fish to water.
With focus on ODIs in a World Cup year, Gill, Kishan and Suryakumar would want to be amongst runs ahead of the Asia Cup beginning August 31.
“Batters need to take more responsibility,” Hardik’s message was clear to the batters following the two-wicket loss here on Sunday.
India has been playing with a long tail with Axar Patel batting at seven to maintain the balance of the side and it is unlikely to change in the next game.
India’s in-form spinner Kuldeep Yadav missed Sunday’s game due to a sore thumb and it remains to be seen if he is available for selection.
The bowlers, especially the spinners, need to find a way to contain a rampaging Nicholas Pooran. The southpaw has been batting with disdain against the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi. Left-arm spinner Axar was not even used in the last game.
Hardik and Arshdeep Singh were able to swing the new ball in the second game and would be looking to repeat that on Tuesday.
Chahal, playing after a gap of two months, has been impressive in the series. Bishnoi’s frequent googlies were not able to put pressure on the opposition, forcing him to rethink his plans.
Pacer Mukesh Kumar has leaked most runs for India and there is a possibility that he could be replaced with Avesh Khan or Umran Malik.