With three T20Is remaining, the West Indies can win their first two-match series against India in any format since 2016. They might also win back-to-back T20I series for the first time since 2017. If they succeed, it will provide a big boost of confidence for the West Indies, who will co-host a T20 World Cup in less than a year.
Whether they can win the series on Tuesday may be determined by how they manage India’s spinners, which they have handled well in the previous two games.
Nicholas Pooran, who has been charged with taking on India’s wristspinners, has been at the heart of their success. Pooran has done an excellent job, spearheading the counterattacks on both occasions. The bowlers have also been on point with their execution, switching it up on two-paced grounds.
West Indies have also won the nerve game so far: after their bowlers closed out the series opener on Thursday, their batters did the same in the second game after the side had lost four wickets for three runs in 13 balls. While batsmen like Rovman Powell and Hetmyer have helped Pooran, the West Indies would anticipate more runs from their top three.
Meanwhile, India’s batting has mainly let them down. While their tail has been a problem, their top and middle orders, with the exception of Tilak Varma, have failed to get going in the sluggish conditions.
Hardik Pandya and Kyle Mayers are in the spotlight.
Despite the setbacks, India captain Hardik Pandya has radiated cool-guy enthusiasm. “It is what it is,” he observed calmly following their loss on Sunday. While he’s recovered his bowling rhythm, his batting hasn’t reached its typical level, and he’s also been criticized for his fielding techniques.
Despite the availability of the in-form and left-handed Pooran in the middle, Hardik offered Axar Patel the final over of the powerplay in the first T20I; that over cost 14 runs. Hardik did not bowl out his finest bowler, Yuzvendra Chahal, during a nail-biting chase against the West Indies’ bottom order in the second T20I. Because of the frequent presence of left-handers at the crease, Axar was forced to play as a pure hitter in the second T20I after being taken for 22 runs in two overs in the first.
Ishan Kishan and Ravi Bishnoi may have competition to keep their places in India’s XI.
Kyle Mayers had a fantastic IPL season, but he hasn’t been able to reproduce that form for the West Indies. Following a mediocre ODI series, he has scored 1 and 15 in the first two T20Is. His current T20I average is 20.75. Despite this, the West Indies have maintained faith in him, and he will look to contribute consistently in the top order, which has been one of the team’s weak links in this series.
Will India bring in Yashasvi Jaiswal for the team?
The hosts are unlikely to make significant alterations to their winning formula.
West Indies: 1 Brandon King, 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Johnson Charles (wk), 4 Nicholas Pooran, and 5 Shimron Hetmyer (probable). Rovman Powell (captain), Jason Holder (7th), Romario Shepherd (8th), Akeal Hosein (9th), Alzarri Joseph (10th), and Obed McCoy (11th)
Will India think about bringing in Yashasvi Jaiswal to help stretch their batting? Given that they have another wicketkeeper option in Sanju Samson, they might bring him in for Ishan Kishan, who has averaged 12.12 in eight T20Is since the start of the year. India may also want to bring back Kuldeep Yadav, who missed the second T20I after being hit in the nets. Ravi Bishnoi, who took his place, went wicketless for 31 runs.
Shubman Gill, 2 Ishan Kishan/Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, and Mukesh Kumar are the other players.
Pitch and conditions
The surface at Providence Stadium for the second T20I was sluggish, and it’s likely to stay that way; anticipate spin and slower balls to have their say once more. The weather forecast calls for cloudy skies with a chance of rain in the afternoon.
Statistics and trivia
- Pooran has hit half-centuries in each of his last three T20I innings at Providence Stadium.
- Yuzvendra Chahal got 28 wickets in 26 Twenty20 Internationals at a strike average of 19.1 in 2021 and 2022. So far in 2023, he has taken eight wickets in six games with a strike rate of 12.7.
Quotes
“We decided to just look at some players’ workload [for the West Indies T20I series] to make sure they get enough break time and manage them.” I definitely fit into that category. There’s another motivation to come here [to the United States]. Because you are aware that the World Cup is approaching. The T20 World Cup will be held in this region of the world in June 2024. So I’m sure everyone is thrilled.”
Rohit Sharma, India’s regular captain, during a function in the United States.
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