COMBINATION ANALYSIS
Follow UsThe T20 World Cup champions, India, have set foot in Zimbabwe with a new-look squad. With five T20Is to be played on the tour, expect each of the 15 members of the squad to get at least one game. However, also expect the management (headed by the coach VVS Laxman) to prefer a set combination until the series is in the bag.
What would that set combination look like? Consider the skipper Shubman Gill alongside Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh and Ravi Bishnoi (only specialist spinner) a lock-in for most part of the series. Also, Shivam Dube, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are unavailable for the first two matches of the series.
Let’s decode further:
Top order options
The Men in Blue have four contenders for the top-three batting positions — Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma and Sai Sudharsan. Picking three of them could be a head-scratcher given all of them have been consistent performers in IPL for a couple of seasons.
Expect Gill and Gaikwad to be certain starters, given they are the senior most players in the batting department. That leaves the management to pick between the two left-handers, Abhishek and Sai.
Abhishek is the most attacking batter among the lot (strike rate 185) while Sudharsan has the lowest strike rate (135.2). Considering India are moving ahead in the direction of aggressive batters, Sudharsan may have to wait for his chance on the tour.
Who opens and who bats at three?
The Punjab boys, Gill and Abhishek might get the heads up to form a left-right hand batting pair at the top with Gaikwad at three.
Jitesh or Jurel for keeping gloves?
India hold two wicketkeeping options in Dhruv Jurel and Jitesh Sharma. Before the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Jitesh was ahead in the pecking order. However, averaging only 17 runs per dismissal in IPL 2024, the 30-year-old has slid down that order. Jitesh wasn’t picked in the original squad and has joined the team late as a replacement player for Samson only for the first two T20Is.
Hence, by default, Jurel might get picked with Jitesh on the bench.
All-rounders?
The withdrawal of Nitish Kumar Reddy (due to injury) and Shivam Dube (unavailable for the first two T20Is) leaves the team without any seam-bowling all-round options. Among the spin-bowling all-rounders, India have Washington Sundar alongside Abhishek and Parag. The latter two didn’t bowl much in the IPL (10 overs between them in 32 matches); hence, their all-round value can be best estimated as part-time bowlers.
Thus, Sundar becomes a certain starter to establish balance in the team.
Also, Harshit Rana can bat a bit. The 22-year-old has a first-class hundred to his name (122*). However, we don’t know how much faith the management will show in his batting.
How deep can India bat?
Sundar’s batting position will decide India’s batting depth in this series. If he is slated at number eight, India’s XI will carry only two frontline pace options. In this case, they will have an extra batter and rely on Parag and Abhishek to contribute four overs between them.
If Sundar bats at seven, the batting depth could be an issue but the bowling would be much more sorted with three pace bowling options.
ALSO READ: Can misfiring Washington Sundar make Jadeja’s spot in T20Is his own?
Pace attack?
India have picked five spearhead pacers and picking two or three of them could come down to the pecking order again.
Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan are the most experienced pacers in the lot. They have been part of India’s T20 setup when the senior players have been unavailable. Mukesh has played second-most T20Is for an Indian pacer since 2023. Meanwhile, Avesh has featured in five T20Is in this time frame.
Khaleel Ahmed, the only left-arm pacer, last wore the Indian jersey in 2019. He had a decent IPL season with 17 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 9.6.
If the management want to put a fresh face alongside Mukesh and Avesh, Tushar Deshpande and Rana could be in line for a debut early in the series. But if the team wants a left-arm pacer, Khaleel will get the go ahead.
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