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Home / Sports / Cricket / Photos / Top-order in focus as pressure builds on India ahead of must-win 3rd T20I

Top-order in focus as pressure builds on India ahead of must-win 3rd T20I

Updated On: 07 August, 2023 02:36 PM IST | Srijanee Majumdar

India will need to bat with the fearlessness they often talk about as they look to avoid a series defeat in the third T20 International against the West Indies on Tuesday. The slow pitches on offer have not been the best for batting but as skipper Hardik Pandya pointed out after the loss on Sunday, India should have a found way to score additional 10-20 runs. (Pic: AFP)

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India will need to bat with the fearlessness they often talk about as they look to avoid a series defeat in the third T20 International against the West Indies on Tuesday. The slow pitches on offer have not been the best for batting but as skipper Hardik Pandya pointed out after the loss on Sunday, India should have a found way to score additional 10-20 runs. (Pic: AFP)

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India will need to bat with the fearlessness they often talk about as they look to avoid a series defeat in the third T20 International against the West Indies on Tuesday. The slow pitches on offer have not been the best for batting but as skipper Hardik Pandya pointed out after the loss on Sunday, India should have a found way to score additional 10-20 runs. (Pic: AFP)

India, who last lost to the West Indies in a bilateral T20 series back in 2016, trail 0-2 in the five-match series. The shortest format demands the batters to go hard from ball one and that is something India`s top-order, comprising Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav, have not been able to do. The top-order`s failure has put extra pressure on the likes of Sanju Samson and rookie Tilak Varma, who has taken to international cricket like fish to water.

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India, who last lost to the West Indies in a bilateral T20 series back in 2016, trail 0-2 in the five-match series. The shortest format demands the batters to go hard from ball one and that is something India`s top-order, comprising Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav, have not been able to do. The top-order`s failure has put extra pressure on the likes of Sanju Samson and rookie Tilak Varma, who has taken to international cricket like fish to water.

With focus on ODIs in a World Cup year, Gill, Kishan and Suryakumar would want to be amongst runs ahead of the Asia Cup beginning August 31.

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With focus on ODIs in a World Cup year, Gill, Kishan and Suryakumar would want to be amongst runs ahead of the Asia Cup beginning August 31.

India have been playing with a long tail with Axar Patel batting at seven to maintain the balance of the side and it is unlikely to change in the next game. India`s in-form spinner Kuldeep Yadav missed Sunday`s game due to a sore thumb and it remains to be seen if he is available for selection.

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India have been playing with a long tail with Axar Patel batting at seven to maintain the balance of the side and it is unlikely to change in the next game. India`s in-form spinner Kuldeep Yadav missed Sunday`s game due to a sore thumb and it remains to be seen if he is available for selection.

The bowlers, especially the spinners, need to find a way to contain a rampaging Nicholas Pooran. The southpaw has been batting with disdain against the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi. Left-arm spinner Axar was not even used in the last game.

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The bowlers, especially the spinners, need to find a way to contain a rampaging Nicholas Pooran. The southpaw has been batting with disdain against the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi. Left-arm spinner Axar was not even used in the last game.

Hardik and Arshdeep Singh were able to swing the new ball in the second game and would be looking to repeat that on Tuesday. Chahal, playing after a gap of two months, has been impressive in the series. Bishnoi`s frequent googlies were not able to put pressure on the opposition, forcing him to rethink about his plans. Pacer Mukesh Kumar has leaked most runs for India and there is a possibility that he could be replaced with Avesh Khan or Umran Malik. West Indies are in an ideal position for their first series win over India since 2016.

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Hardik and Arshdeep Singh were able to swing the new ball in the second game and would be looking to repeat that on Tuesday. Chahal, playing after a gap of two months, has been impressive in the series. Bishnoi`s frequent googlies were not able to put pressure on the opposition, forcing him to rethink about his plans. Pacer Mukesh Kumar has leaked most runs for India and there is a possibility that he could be replaced with Avesh Khan or Umran Malik. West Indies are in an ideal position for their first series win over India since 2016.

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