India’s bowlers need to put on an impressive show as hosts eye T20I series win over Australia tonight
India players celebrate an Australian wicket during the third T20I at Guwahati on Tuesday. Pic/AFP
India’s young bowling unit, which has been under the pump, will look to better its death overs performance while utilising Glenn Maxwell’s absence to its advantage in the fourth T20 International against Australia here on Friday.
India’s second-string attack did not paint a good picture of itself by not defending 40-plus runs in the final two overs in the third match which the Australians won while chasing a daunting 223-run target.
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There is a possibility of a minor tweak in the Indian line-up after Prasidh Krishna gave away 68 runs in four overs, including 21 in the final over.
Also Read: India needs young bowlers to deliver to seal the series win
Chahar returns
Deepak Chahar is back in the T20 mix and his ability to move the new ball should be considered for his inclusion in the playing XI along with death-overs specialist Mukesh Kumar, who is back after a one-match break.
Both Prasidh and Avesh Khan lack variety and innovation as they keep pitching the ball at the same length. Both bowl in late 130s or early 140s but consistently pitch it back of the length and the nature of Indian tracks make it a cannon fodder for batters.
Also not being able to use variations like conventional or wide yorkers has been the undoing of these bowlers who also didn’t execute slower deliveries properly.
In the batting line-up, Shreyas Iyer’s comeback means only Tilak Varma looks a candidate who could be benched as five others—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, skipper Suryakumar Yadav and finisher Rinku Singh select themselves.
Maxwell back home
India will also look to exploit the absence of a marauding Maxwell, who pulled off a heist of sorts to singlehandedly bring Australia back into the five-match series with a win in a last-ball finish in Guwahati.
But the hosts will fancy their chances with Maxwell, and other influential players such as Steve Smith and Adam Zampa not figuring in the playing XI here, having left for home after a long stay in the country where they won their sixth World Cup title recently.
Cricket Australia released many of its top players including Maxwell midway into the series keeping in mind their workload and fitness ahead of the T20 World Cup.
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