NEW DELHI: When India’s most sought-after IPL stars face a quality West Indies side in the second T20 International of the five-match series at Providence in Guyana on Sunday, they will have a reputation to preserve and parity to restore.
The difference between the two teams in the first game in Tarouba was a boundary, which West Indies won on a slow batting track with an excellent bowling effort at the finish.
The T20I series is of little significance in an ODI World Cup year, but skipper Hardik Pandya and his deputy Suryakumar Yadav would expect a considerably improved batting performance – both individually and collectively.
The duo, along with Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, and Sanju Samson, are all eyeing the ODI World Cup, but anyone would welcome a few strong knocks to boost their confidence ahead of the Asia Cup.
With the exception of debutant Tilak Varma, who looked ready for international cricket throughout his 39-ball innings, the Indian batting with IPL prima donnas earning big bucks lied to deceive.
However, with five T20s being played in nine days across three nations (Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, and the United States), it is equally critical that the likes of skipper Hardik, openers Gill and Kishan, and spinner Kuldeep Yadav have appropriate rest while keeping the broader picture in mind.
Even though this is not an aged team like the ODI squad, playing so many T20 games in a row with little rest and a lot of traveling will not help them.
This T20 series against the West Indies provides India with the ideal opportunity to evaluate their shortest format choices, which will be critical next year with the World Cup being staged in the Americas (West Indies and United States).
As a result, trying out last year’s IPL sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal throughout the series, if not the second game, wouldn’t be a bad idea.
At a stadium where the West Indies have a poor T20I record, a stronger batting effort in the back-10 would be a primary priority. Three of the 11 matches played at this venue were canceled due to rain, while the West Indies lost five of the remaining eight.
Despite their diminishing standards in the two conventional formats, the West Indies remain a force to be reckoned with in T20 cricket, producing the most premium ‘Guns for Hire’ in the franchise market after Australia.
The Nicholas Poorans, Kyle Mayers, Shimron Hetmyers, Rovman Powells, and Romario Shepherds are all on the same page, at least in this format, and the Indian team will find this specific outfit the most difficult to beat in the current situation.
Suryakumar would like to get a big one in his favorite format for India and rebuild some confidence that has been damaged due to a rough period in ODIs.
Samson, despite his talent, has been a serial underachiever at the international level. He’ll be heading to Ireland following this series, so he’ll be aiming to get some more runs in.
Yuzvendra Chahal has slipped down the ODI pecking order and would have a point to show if he gets a shot in all five games.
In terms of death overs bowling, Arshdeep Singh is still a work in progress, whilst Mukesh Kumar is reaping the benefits of his strong performance throughout the tour.
But, at some time, both Avesh Khan and Umran Malik, the two tearaway quicks, should be given a chance to see if they can be the X-factor on docile tracks.
