Follow UsAs the caravan moves to the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, for the three-match T20I series, it is India who will start as favorites, following their utterly dominant showing in the ODIs last week in Ahmedabad. Funnily enough India’s batting did not even click in the 50-over games, but the margin of wins - 6 wickets, 44 runs and 96 runs - go a long way in depicting just how one-sided the series was. West Indies simply did not have a sniff.
But as England recently found out, the Windies are different beasts altogether in the shortest format. They might be a bunch that has not quite figured out how to pace an innings in 50-over cricket, but that is far from the case in T20s.
Despite the indifferent showing at the T20 World Cup they remain one of the most dangerous T20 batting units in the entire world, even more so currently with the emergence of Odean Smith and Romario Shepherd down the order, and the rejuvenation of Rovman Powell. They’ll be a menace and a half to deal with should the batting fire the same way it did versus the Three Lions, and should the bowlers showcase the same discipline and cutting edge they did in the ODIs.
Whether the batters can fire outside the Caribbean remains the question. Since Nov 2020 the Windies have shockingly won just a solitary T20 outside the Caribbean in 10 attempts, with the batting being the primary culprit. Kieron Pollard’s side, in the said period away from home, have averaged 19.3 while losing a wicket every 14.4 balls, the worst amongst all Top 10 sides. Their last bilateral away match win in a T20I came prior to the pandemic, and it will need a hell of an effort from the visitors to down this Indian side at home.
The good news for the visitors is that India will be without a lot of key players. While Bumrah and Shami have been rested, Jadeja, Sundar, Axar, Ashwin and Rahul all will take no part in the T20Is due to injury. Despite the presence of both Rohit and Kohli, representing the Men in Blue will be a very youthful, inexperienced bunch.
But there will certainly be no shortage of hunger and intensity from the hosts, with all players set to feature in the series looking to seal their spot in the squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
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A chance for Kyle Mayers to make the opening spot his own
Drafted in for the struggling Shai Hope for the final two T20Is against England, Kyle Mayers showed just how much of a brutal force he could be up the order, obliterating the English bowlers inside the powerplay. The left-hander struck 40(23) and 31(19) to grab the opportunity with both hands, and now lying in front of him is a potential golden chance to make the opening spot his.
Mayers hadn’t opened in T20s prior to his promotion mid-way through CPL 2021 by Barbados, but the 29-year-old has been irresistible in the shortest format since the genius tactical switch, averaging 43.6 while striking at 149.3. With no one barring Evin Lewis being a lock for the Windies in a full-strength T20I side, a strong start to the series could very well tempt the management to give him an extended run up top.
Things might get a bit tricky, however, if indeed India decide to use spin up-front.
As an opener Mayers’ pace-bashing has been elite (127 runs, 1 dismissal, SR 165), but 80% of his dismissals have been against spin, with him getting dismissed once every 17.3 balls. Against England too both his dismissals came against spin, with the left-hander managing just 22 runs of 19 balls, 68.42% of the deliveries being dots.
But with no front-line finger spinner in the Indian squad, the match-ups might just end up going in favour of Mayers, unless Rohit decides to gamble with the wrist-spinners or the part-time off-spin of Deepak Hooda.
The Windies openers did not hurt India in the ODIs, but things could get ugly for the visitors should they err up-front versus Mayers.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar all set for his moment of truth
What India’s starting XI will look like in a day’s time, nobody knows. But watch out for the presence (or absence) of one name, for it could be a significant giveaway of the management’s thought process and plans.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, after being dropped mid-way through the World Cup, featured in all three T20Is against the Kiwis, but he’s since had a horror few months, dropped mid-way in the ODIs against South Africa and left out altogether from the ODIs against West Indies. Having been picked for the T20Is, whether Bhuvneshwar makes it to the starting XI in the first couple of games could be a hint about the direction in which the management wants to proceed.
Should Bhuvneshwar not make it to the starting XI, it could potentially be really bad news for the veteran. Because while he, of late, has been on a steep downward spiral, all his competitors have grown steadily from strength to strength. If he does not make the starting in a series not featuring both Bumrah and Shami, it could very well be a clear indication that the management are willing to look beyond him.
Contrarily, however, a berth in the first XI could be the management’s way of saying that they value his experience and believe that he can make it out of the rut.
Some decisions are more significant than the others. Wednesday, February 16, is all set to be the moment of truth for Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Probable XIs
West Indies: Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Kieron Pollard (c), Fabian Allen, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Akeal Hosein, Sheldon Cottrell
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Deepak Hooda, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal