India, WI brace for another run fest in 3rd T20I
Another bat-versus-bat contest is likely to exert further pressure on the bowlers who have taken enough battering already, when India and West Indies face off in the third T20 International at the Holkar Stadium’s batting haven here on Sunday.
As many as 501 runs were scored in the second T20I in Ranchi, with the West Indies scaling down India’s massive 250-run target with more than an over to spare, prompting head coach Gautam Gambhir to throw the spotlight on the plight of bowlers for a second time in the fortnight.
But Gambhir’s think tank and his bowlers, along with their peers in the opposition camp, cannot expect any immediate respite, especially here in Indore, as the venue traditionally favours the batters with its flat decks and short boundary limits.
It would all thus boil down on execution across departments between the two opponents, with dropped catches and missed opportunities carrying greater significance.
Mayank Yadav spilling a regulation catch of Sherfane Rutherford halfway through the West Indies’ innings proved decisive in a way as he went on to eventually add a massive 120 runs off 54 balls with skipper Shai Hope.
Rutherford was only on 38 off 18 when Mayank spilled a gobbler at short fine leg, and the Caribbean southpaw eventually finished at 84 off 37 balls, hammering seven sixes and as many fours. India will also be wary of Hope’s form at the top of the order as the West Indies captain has peeled off two centuries on this visit, displaying incredible form and skills to keep his team in contention against the home side’s batting might in their backyard.
For India, it would be another excellent test of finding solutions and execution with the ball, with dew also expected to play its part. Batting first, India seemed to have put enough runs on board in Ranchi, making 249 for 5, and Mayank’s early inroads put them in the driver’s seat. But the West Indies, unfazed by early blows, kept hitting back in perfect batting conditions to register their highest-ever run chase. Among the bright spots for India in this series has been skipper Shreyas Iyer rediscovering his mojo after a short session with former batting coach Abhishek Nayar before departing for this series.
With 102 not out and an 18-ball 40, Iyer has found his rhythm as well as solutions to key issues such as generating force with the bat and dominating bowlers, which he felt had slipped away.
Sanju Samson’s 41-ball 82 to snap his ordinary run with the bat may keep Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out of the mix, as Gambhir once again reiterated the importance of flexibility in the middle-order but not at the top after the game in Ranchi.
The head coach also admitted that India will continue to experiment with their combinations after Shivam Dube walked out at No. 4 ahead of Iyer. Even though Dube fell only for seven, India are not expected to read much into it.
But India would certainly want more from their ace bowler, Arshdeep Singh, who has given away 79 runs in two matches for only one wicket in return. Mayank cranked up express pace to take two wickets upfront and three overall, and India would want the pace bowler to continue in same manner.
