TACTICAL PREVIEW
Follow UsAfter the Tests and ODIs, the caravan of India’s 2023 tour of the West Indies (and the USA) now moves to the T20 internationals. India are now scheduled to play eight T20Is in a row - five versus the West Indies and three versus Ireland.
The focus is on ODI cricket as of now given the upcoming World Cup in India. However, it is important not to lose sight of the T20 format as the next T20 World Cup is less than a year away. Knowing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not played in the format for India since the last World Cup, these eight T20Is will be at the foundation of finding their replacements and India’s preparation for the next T20 World Cup. To make it more significant, that tournament is in the Caribbean as well.
For West Indies, their free fall has diminished their relevance in T20 cricket too. They failed to make it into the main round of the T20 World Cup in Australia. They have won only 10 of their last 27 T20Is since 2022. Playing what is still their most preferred format, they will hope for a reset with this series, followed by the CPL 2023.
Things to look out for
Jaiswal or Tilak, who makes their T20I debut?
Quite strangely, India have picked a batter less for this five-match series. Including Axar Patel, there are only eight batters in the squad. Considering the Men in Blue would like to have batting at least till number seven, one of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma are certain to earn a much-deserved T20 cap, owing to their consistent IPL performances over the last two seasons.
With Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav certain to start the series as openers and the number four batter respectively, the fight will be for the remaining spots. If Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson occupy the number five and number six spot, Jaiswal could pip Tilak given his top-order credentials. Tilak can bat up the order too but has mostly taken the number five spot for Mumbai Indians.
Is there a chance that both of them can make their debut? For that, Samson might sit out or India will have to play all eight batters, including Axar again. That move, however, will leave India with only five bowlers including Pandya.
READ: Jaiswal or Kishan? Who bats at six and the spin combination?
Powell has to step up
Rovman Powell, the batter, had a good start to his tenure as West Indies’ full-time T20I captain. During the three T20Is in South Africa in March, Powell scored 82 runs, averaging 41 at a strike rate of 200. Since then, Powell’s numbers have diminished. In seven white-ball games (both ODIs and T20s) since April this year, Powell has only 41 runs, averaging only 5.9. Six out of seven times he has been dismissed by spin.
Powell was dropped by Delhi Capitals in IPL. Later, he lost his place in West Indies’ ODI side during the World Cup Qualifiers and the ODI series against India.
Now, the Jamaican will be returning as the captain. The danger of spin remains against opposition like India. In all likelihood, he will be facing his Delhi Capitals teammates - Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. If the game situation permits, it could be an interesting battle between the Indian spinners and the West Indies skipper who has a point to prove.
Pitch and Ground Conditions
Only one T20I has been played at the Brian Lara Stadium. Chasing 191, West Indies had lost five wickets for 74 runs in 12 overs against Indian spinners.
The newly-built venue has favored spinners in the CPL as well. Overall, in 36 matches, spinners have 47.2% of the total wickets. West Indies made the mistake of fielding an all-out seam attack in the aforementioned game against India last year. This time, Akeal Hosein will bolster their spin department with an additional option of Roston Chase. India can field three spinners - two specialists and Axar.
Also, there is a 40% chance of rain through the morning.
Tactical Nous
> As mentioned above, Powell struggles against spin. Ravi Bishnoi has dismissed him three times in T20 cricket for only 25 runs from 24 balls. Against other spinners in the Indian squad, Axar and Kuldeep have dismissed Powell once each for 16 and five runs each. Yuzvendra Chahal has bowled only three balls to the Jamaican batter for no wickets and five runs.
> Nicholas Pooran will come to the series fresh from a brilliant MLC season in America. The left-hander was the highest run-scorer in the tournament including a hundred in the final. Indian pacers would want to target him with short-pitch deliveries. Since 2021, Pooran averages only 19.3 against pacers in the short-length area.
> In T20s since 2021, Suryakumar Yadav averages 27.5 against left-arm orthodox spinners at a strike-rate of 120.1. The average is his lowest against any bowling type.
Akeal Hosein bowls a lot during the powerplay. In this series, however, West Indies may want to keep his overs intact to counter the Surya threat.
Probable XIs
West Indies
Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer return to West Indies’ T20 squad. Hope may have to wait for his chance given his mediocre T20I numbers (average 17.9, strike-rate 121.1) might keep them on the bench. Roston Chase’s all-round ability can sneak him into the XI as the second spinner. West Indies will also have to choose one between Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith.
Probable XI: Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles (wk), Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell ( c ), Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy/Oshane Thomas
India
The visitors are certain to provide chances to every player of their 15-man squad across the five T20Is. But with which opening combination will they start? Three seamers or two seamers barring Hardik Pandya? Who bats at six? We will get to know all this at the toss tomorrow.
Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya ( c ), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi/Yuzvendra Chahal
