3 young Indian batters who should get a chance in T20Is vs West Indies
India just lost the World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia and all focus has now turned to the upcoming Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup. It is one of those rare years when not many would care about what happens in bilateral T20Is, who plays and who doesn't, who performs and who doesn't.
Amid the attempts to win trophies in other formats, it might also be forgotten that India performed poorly in back-to-back T20 World Cups. This is the perfect opportunity to change things up - get some fresh blood in, give reputed but underperforming players a break, and challenge yourself to try new strategies.
There won't be a better series than the five T20Is against West Indies - to be played between August 3-13 - to do so. The hosts' ultra-aggressive style is what India need to learn to deal with the most, especially from a batting perspective.
The following are the three young batters who deserve an opportunity in that regard, based on their recent form and potential value to the team.
#1 Rinku Singh
Since MS Dhoni's retirement, India has been in desperate need of a calm and composed finisher. Hardik Pandya played that role for a while but now bats exclusively in the middle order for his IPL franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT).
Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) Rinku Singh staked his claim for that position in IPL 2023 in some fashion. The left-handed batter scored 474 runs from 14 matches, more than double his previous best aggregate in a season.
But the way those runs came was more important. His average of 59.25 was the highest in the tournament (minimum two matches) among players who batted in positions four to seven in the order.
He struck at 149.53 despite mostly coming in situations where his team was three or four wickets down without many runs on the board. Hitting five sixes off the last five balls against the Titans was no flue but Rinku made sure everyone knew it by getting KKR more such last-over finishes.
Now, in Rishabh Pant's absence, he'll be a much-needed left-handed addition to India's middle order. A good series here will set India up with a 25-year-old finisher who'll only get better with time and experience.
#2 Yashasvi Jaiswal
India had the joint-worst powerplay run rate in the 2021 T20 World Cup, just 6.02. Champions England was on the opposite end at 8.52. The inability to get a brisk start put too much pressure on the middle order which couldn't always sustain it, as seen in the humbling 10-wicket defeat to Jos Buttler's men in the semi-final.
Here's where Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Yashasvi Jaiswal would come in. The 21-year-old had the best strike rate (175.24) among all openers in IPL 2023 as he racked up 625 runs (almost triple his best season before 2023) from 14 matches, including a scintillating 124 off 62 balls against Mumbai Indians (MI).
The Men in Blue will likely rest Rohit Sharma in the T20Is which could be a chance for Shubman Gill and Jaiswal to open with full freedom to express themselves.
#3 Sai Sudharshan
Sai Sudharshan in his last 5 T20 outings-
20(19) vs RR- Match 23,IPL 2023
47(36) vs SRH-Match 62,IPL 2023
43(31) vs MI-Qualifier 2,IPL 2023
96(47) vs CSK-Finals,IPL 2023
86(45) vs ITT- Match 1,TNPL 2023
His fine form continues with the bat!👏 https://t.co/7g9u7SlPJ9
Sai Sudharshan scored a blistering 86 (45) in Lyca Kovai Kings' win over Tiruppur Tamizhans in the 2023 Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) opener on Monday.
The knock came just days after his fighting 96 (47) in the IPL 2023 final against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), again showing why he's one of the best batting talents to come from the state in a long time.
He bats at No. 3 and has the technique and temperament to play in that position for a long time. The confidence he exudes against express pace isn't generally seen among young top-order batters in India and could be a precursor to something special. The youngster is stunningly underrated too, with his TNPL salary being higher than the 20 lakhs he gets from the Titans.
Like Rohit, Virat Kohli might also be rested for the T20Is and there's no better option than Sudharshan to replace him, even for a short time. If Kohli returns to the setup, the 21-year-old could be his understudy till he retires.