IRE vs IND 2022: 3 player battles to watch out for as new-look India takes on Ireland
The Indian cricket team is on Irish shores as they gear up for a two-match T20I series at 'The Village' in Malahide. With several first-choice players currently with the Test squad in Leicester ahead of the rescheduled fifth Test against England, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been handed the reins of the captaincy.
KL Rahul's injury elevated Rishabh Pant to captaincy in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against South Africa. Pandya was then anointed as Pant's deputy, days after leading the Gujarat Titans to glory in the IPL.
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While India will directly partake in the Super 10 stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia later this year, Ireland will have to go through the group stages. Both teams will look at this two-match series as an opportunity to fine-tune their plans for the marquee event, with opportunities for some of the fringe players to step up and make a statement.
On that note, here's a look at three player battles that could shape which way the series between Ireland and India heads.
#1 Paul Stirling v Bhuvneshwar Kumar
How Paul Stirling hasn't bagged a lucrative IPL deal yet remains one of the biggest mysteries of the sport. The swashbuckling opening batter is as menacing a match-winner as they come, and could be a big thorn in the Indian flesh come the two T20s.
This is where Bhuvneshwar Kumar could prove to be India's trump card. The swing merchant could pose a few problems with the new ball and bring down Stirling's modus operandi, as well as his ability to counter movement into the spotlight.
Kumar has bowled just two deliveries thus far against Stirling, who is quite comfortably the biggest threat in Ireland's unit. Expect this matchup to make or break the contest, though, come June 26.
Also read: Ireland announce 14-man squad for India T20Is; uncapped Conor Olphert, Stephen Doheny called up.
#2 Joshua Little v Ruturaj Gaikwad
Despite all his exploits in the IPL and domestic cricket, Ruturaj Gaikwad's international career hasn't taken off just yet. The Maharashtra opener did score a half-century against South Africa not too long ago, but has been found wanting against high-quality pace bowling.
A documented chink in Gaikwad's armor is how often he finds ways to perish against left-arm pace-bowling. That's where Joshua Little comes into the picture, given his ability to swing the new ball at decent pace. The inswinger comes naturally to him, and that ought to put Gaikwad's game in the powerplay under the scanner when he takes the field against Ireland.
Funnily enough, Little was a net bowler with the Chennai Super Kings earlier this year. The duo may have had their duels already, but this will be an acid test of some kind at the international level.
#3 Andy Balbirnie v Yuzvendra Chahal
While he isn't a swashbuckler per se, Andy Balbirnie is as solid a batter as they come. Ireland's captain has for long been the fulcrum around which the rest of the batting unit tends to operate, and generally assumes control of the game through the middle-overs.
A stiff task lies ahead of him though, courtesy of a potential matchup against Yuzvendra Chahal. India's ace leg-spinner blew hot and cold in the T20Is against South Africa, but having regained his mojo as the series progressed, he should fancy his chances in Malahide.
Nipping Balbirnie in the bud quite early could put some of the younger batters, namely Harry Tector and Curtis Campher, under the pump. How he negotiates the guile and craft of Chahal will go a long way in dictating how far the hosts can dominate the visitors with the bat.