3 concerns for India despite win over West Indies in 3rd T20I
With the series on the line, Team India bounced back to register a clinical seven-wicket victory over the West Indies in the third T20I at the National Stadium in Providence, Guyana on Tuesday.
With the hosts opting to bat first, they posted a competitive 159/5 on a track that was sluggish. Despite losing debutant opener Yashasvi Jaiswal early, Suryakumar Yadav showed just why he's the top-ranked T20I batter in the world, carving a majestic 44-ball 83.
His 87-run partnership for the third wicket with Tilak Varma ensured that India didn't break a sweat before skipper Hardik Pandya finished things off. The series now moves to the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida for the final two matches on August 12 and 13.
The number one T20I batter keeps the top-ranked T20 side alive in the series! 🇮🇳
A comfortable chase for India courtesy of a brilliant show by SKY and Tilak Varma. 🤝🏻
#SuryakumarYadav #TilakVarma #WIvIND #SportsKeeda pic.twitter.com/KndWd8TYi6
It's not all hunky-dory though now that India have pulled one back in the series. They certainly have issues that require a solution with some of it coming to the fore on Tuesday as well.
Let's look at three such concerns that prevail within their T20 team despite their win in Providence:
#1 Arshdeep Singh's form
Arshdeep is definitely a concern now. Needs some work
After consistent showings in the death overs for Punjab Kings (PBKS), Arshdeep Singh took on the mantle for India too since his international debut last year. However, things have taken a bit of a nosedive in terms of his returns and consistency.
While his overall economy rate in the death overs in T20Is reads a respectable 9.33, the number shoots up to 10.40 in 2023 alone. It showed why when he sent down an expensive penultimate over in the third T20I, with Rovman Powell tearing into him and Arshdeep failing to execute his yorker to perfection.
One thing he might have to work on is perhaps not being too predictable with the yorker ploy. His IPL 2023 season too was a tale of two halves, having picked up 13 wickets in the first seven matches at an economy rate of 8.16 before settling for just four more in his next seven games at an economy rate of 11.41.
In Jasprit Bumrah's absence, Arshdeep led the Indian attack beautifully in 2022 but is finding the going tough this year.
While he seems to have put the issue of overstepping far too often behind him, India desperately need him to turn his fortunes around and deliver his best in the last two games of the series.
#2 Yuzvendra Chahal's inconsistency continues
It was quite baffling that Yuzvendra Chahal wasn't given his final over in the second T20I when India had the chance to kill the game with wickets. This was after Chahal sent down an outstanding 16th over, removing Jason Holder and Shimron Hetmyer in the process.
What stood out with that particular passage of play was the control with which he attacked the stumps on the perfect length. His tendency to loop the ball into the slot returned on Tuesday, however, with Kyle Mayers first and then Johnson Charles later cashing in.
He went wicketless for 33 runs and while it wasn't a forgettable spell, it certainly reflected the high variance he has shown in T20Is for a good while now. It explained why he warmed the benches at the T20 World Cup in Australia last year although the Indian think-tank has continued to back him.
With Kuldeep Yadav showing outstanding form and Ravi Bishnoi breathing down his neck, time is running out for Chahal to show that he still warrants a spot in India's starting XI in T20Is.
He might have had a good IPL 2023 season but the fact that his international performances a hit since 2020 means that there's very little margin for error now.
#3 The absence of a settled opening combination
Shubman Gill's lean patch in T20Is continues!
#ShubmanGill #WIvIND #SportsKeeda pic.twitter.com/XK5HKc0Wpj
After 16 consecutive innings without a half-century in T20Is and just two scores in excess of 30 in that sample size, Ishan Kishan was left out for Jaiswal in the third T20I against the West Indies.
It didn't help, however, that Jaiswal perished for a duck in the very first over before Shubman Gill's wretched tour extended into another outing.
Both Gill and Jaiswal dominated IPL 2023 with the former enjoying a rich vein of form in T20Is too at the start of the year. In all fairness, you'd think this combination covers all bases - intent, skill, and the ability to counter matchups.
India will hope it clicks into something fruitful very soon, however, so that they form the core of this batting lineup with Suryakumar and Tilak to follow at No. 3 and 4. Gill will not travel to Ireland for the T20I series having been rested ahead of the Asia Cup and so, will want to cash in on the last two games.
India's opening woes have haunted them in the format for a good while now and it is a problem that hasn't reached a solution yet. If Gill can forge the partnership that India are on the lookout for between him and Jaiswal, it is bound to hold the team in great stead.
Can India go on to clinch the T20I series against the West Indies? Have your say in the comments section below!
Also read: Deepak Chahar's 3 best spells for India