"Arshdeep Singh was a little bit undercooked but he also came back strongly at the death" - Abhinav Mukund on India's likely bowling changes
Abhinav Mukund doesn't see India making any changes to their bowling lineup for the second T20I against the West Indies to be played in Guyana on Sunday, August 6.
The Indian bowlers restricted the Windies to 149/6 in the first T20I in Tarouba, Trinidad, on Thursday, August 3. However, the Men in Blue failed to chase down the 150-run target, losing the game by four runs.
While previewing the second T20I on JioCinema, Mukund was asked whether India should stick with the same bowling unit, to which he responded:
"I feel India won't make too many changes to their playing XI itself but to the bowling lineup, I don't think there will be too many more changes. With Hardik Pandya bowling four overs, that doesn't give the option of bringing in another medium pacer."
He added:
"Mukesh Kumar was exceptional at the death and I feel he needs another run in this T20I series. Arshdeep Singh was a little bit undercooked but he also came back strongly at the death."
Mukund pointed out that Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal were quite good too. He concluded by stating that he doesn't see too many concerns in the visitors' bowling lineup and that he wouldn't make a change.
"It's almost impossible to say without looking at the pitch" - Aakash Chopra on whether India will field the same bowling lineup
Aakash Chopra was also asked whether Hardik Pandya and Co. should field the same bowling lineup, to which he replied:
"As the match is on a new ground, the second T20I will be played in Guyana, it's almost impossible to say without looking at the pitch what bowling lineup you should field."
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Men in Blue's main issue cannot be addressed with bowling changes. He explained:
"The one problem is not about the bowling but actually batting - you don't have a batter at No. 8. But, unfortunately, in the entire squad, you don't have a player sitting outside who can bat well and can play at No. 8. So that is a weak area of the Indian team which you cannot address by changing the bowling lineup."
Axar Patel is the only bowling all-rounder in the visitors' squad. The absence of the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Washington Sundar has compromised the balance of their playing XI.