India’s focus on fast bowlers and top order to win the decisive match
Indian pacers and top-order batsmen will need to bounce back from their previous defeat to beat Sri Lanka in the decisive third T20I on Saturday. After winning the last ball in the first match, the Indian team lost by 16 runs in the second match. A poor display from young pacers was the main reason for the defeat but Umran Malik and Shivam Mavi know they have a lot to learn from this. Sri Lankan batsmen took advantage of his poor line and length. Left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who returned to the team after recovering from injuries, bowled five no-balls in his two overs.
He was out of the crease thrice in the first over and became the first Indian bowler to hit a hat-trick of no balls in T20s. Both Mavi and Arshdeep, who made impressive debuts in the first match, bowled a lot of no-balls. In such a situation, Captain Hardik Pandya had to depend on the spinners. By the way, poor performance in just one match will not fall on the youth because they need experience. Head coach Rahul Dravid said, “Such matches will come in the career of young players and we have to be patient with them. But we have to understand that such demonstrations should not happen.
He said, “They are learning. It is difficult. Learning in international cricket is not easy. We have to work with patience. ”The top order in batting once again failed to give a good start. Shubman Gill failed for the second time in a row and now like Rahul Tripathi, he will not want to waste any chance. Tripathi also could not walk in his first match. Half the team had returned to the pavilion within 60 runs, after which Akshar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav batted well. In Akshar, India has got a useful all-rounder like Ravindra Jadeja.
The team will give more chances to its core players as it now has to move past the era of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in this format. There is little possibility of any change in the team in the decisive match. Coach Dravid has already said that he does not like too much change. Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka have raised alarm bells for India by making a spectacular comeback. However, he will be expected to perform better from the middle order. The pitch at Rajkot is flat and is expected to be helpful to the batsmen. The role of the toss will also be crucial and both the captains would like to bowl first.
India: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Akshar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi and Mukesh Kumar. Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickram, Kusal Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Aslanka, Dhananjay de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ashen Bandara, Mahesh Teekshana, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Dunith Velalage , Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara. Time: The match will start at 7 pm.
