#INDIA – Articles

India look to make the most of Ireland T20Is

Overview

India is going to tour Ireland for a 2 T20I Match Series starting from 26^th June. This T20I Series is going to take place in Ireland and all the matches are going to be played in Dublin. The peculiarity of this T20I Series is that India’s first-choice players are rested from the tour and BCCI has sent a second-string team.

The first-choice players currently are playing warm-up matches as India is going to play the 5^th Test Match against England on 1^st July. This is an excellent opportunity for Ireland to stamp their authority as in T20Is couple of balls are enough to change the dynamics of the match.

This T20I Series is extremely important for Ireland as in the 2021 edition of the ICC T20 World Cup, they had failed to make it to the main event. They were knocked out by the newbie Namibia and they still would be burning as a team of their caliber was the favorite to qualify. They now have a strong chance to make their team a sturdy one as the next T20 World Cup is around the corner.

Ireland

The Hosts once again look like a dominant force in the batting department as they have got Stirling present. The all-rounder batter is doing his best and making sure that Ireland gets off to a flyer. He is one of the few players who set the tone. The skipper Andrew Balbirine needs to make sure that he is sticking to the crease and most importantly accompany Stirling.

Apart from these two batters, the lineup looks a bit topsy-turvy. They don’t have prominent batters who can set the stage on fire. The likes of Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, and Curtis Campher can play a second fiddle which is their specialty, and expecting a 70-80 run from them would be a bit too much. All in all, Ireland’s weak link is their batting where the batters can’t put a score over 170-190.

The bowling department is well equipped as they have got the likes of Joshua Little, and Mark Adair and in the spin department, they have got George Dockrell and Andy Mcbrine. The spin twins are capable of being economical, especially Dockrell who has the knack of being a partnership-breaker.

Ireland has a golden opportunity to beat India; even if India has a second-string team. India has the wealth of talent that they can beat any team on their day. We all know, that India recently squared the Series against South Africa by 2-2 after being 2-0 down which speaks a lot about India’s depth. In that series, the 1^st choice players were given a break.

India

The Visitors would sense that they have a chance to test their bench strength. India had a forgettable T20 World Cup 2021 in which they were knocked out in the first round itself. To rectify the mistakes a process has been started in which young and deserving players like Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, and Harshal Patel have been given a chance with a long rope.

The openers Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad are making sure that they are playing smart cricket. Most of the times Kishan plays the role of aggressor and later Ruturaj takes the baton forward. Ruturaj did not have a convincing series against South Africa as most of the times; he was seen struggling which is not a good sign as every time Ishan won’t take the team out of deep trouble.

In the absence of Rishabh Pant who is with the Test Squad, Hardik Pandya is the skipper for the Series. The dashing all-rounder won’t be able to believe the last 3 months as earlier he was blatantly ignored by the Selection Committee and now, he is the Captain of team India. At the same time, BCCI has made sure that his competitor Venkatesh Iyer is in the team which will make sure that he still has to regain the confidence of the Selectors.

The bowling attack of India looks deadly as they have got the likes of Bhuveneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Avesh Khan. This pace trio is capable of creating havoc that can’t be ignored. In all these India has got their premium spin bowler Yuzvendra Chahal who is a witty bowler who can bamboozle the opponent and then India has also got Bishnoi who is a crafty spinner.

Spotlight

Dinesh Karthik is under the spotlight as he has made a comeback to the National Team after a long hiatus of 3 years. He played a couple of brilliant cameos and knocks and it looked like he continued his IPL form into International Arena. He has 3-4 series before Head Coach Rahul Dravid takes a final call on his availability and it would be interesting to see how many runs he scores in the upcoming series. All in all, there is a ray of hope for DK and at the same time Rishabh Pant would be worried as his place is under the scanner as he had a terrible South Africa Series

Recent tour to Ireland and its Overview

In 2018, India had toured Ireland for a two T20I Match Series in which India had white-washed Ireland. In that Series, India dominated Ireland and didn’t give them a chance to stamp their authority.

Ireland had lost the Matches by 70 odd runs and 140 odd runs which meant that Ireland was off color and was completely blown away by the brigadier of Virat Kohli. It won’t be wrong to say that India has become a more powerful house after that tour and at the same time Ireland has started making in-roads.

Tactics for India and Ireland

India needs to make sure that they are not gifting wickets and giving any freebies. This is a rare chance that Hardik has got and if he wants to be the Captain then he must showcase his credentials. It’s simple for India, they have to make sure that they need to pile on mammoth runs. All in all, India looks favorite to clinch the Series by 2-0 unless and until Ireland produces a performance out of the box and comes out all guns blazing.

Ireland’s batters need to stick to the crease to score huge runs. Unless and until, one of their batters plays a knock of 70-80 runs then only they have a chance, otherwise it would be a cake-walk for the Courageous Men in Blue. All in all, Ireland should aim for squaring the Series which indeed would be a great achievement as compared to winning which currently looks improbable and it won’t be wrong to say that Ireland can spoil the party of a billion people

India’s Most Likely Spinners for ICC T20 World Cup 2022

India had a forgettable ICC T20 World Cup 2021 where they were out of the tournament in the 1^st round itself. The T20 World Cup was held in UAE and it was expected that the spinners would benefit from turning backs. India’s spin contingent for the T20 World Cup was as follows:

Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Rahul Chahar & Varun Chakravarthy

It was expected that the experienced spin duo of Ashwin & Jadeja would keep India in good stead while the mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy would trouble the batters but it didn’t pan out as expected. All in all, India’s spinners failed significantly as none of them helped India to stamp their authority.

So far, the road to T20 World Cup 2022

Following India’s poor performance in the marquee tournament, BCCI took a bold step by naming Rohit Sharma as the Captain & Rahul Dravid as the Head Coach. India so far has white-washed New Zealand, West Indies & Sri Lanka. In all these 3 Series it can be said that India found its missing zeal as now India is on 12 Match Winning Streak. India now would have a break due to the Tata IPL 2022 while the next assignment is scheduled in June against South Africa where India will play 5 T20I Matches.

Spin Department for T20 World Cup 2022

As we all know that the T20 World Cup 2022 is going to be held in Australia. In Australia, usually the spinners aren’t that much effective apart from a couple of pitches like Sydney and rarely others. India’s selectors should keep one thing in mind that instead of sending 5 spinners like of 2021 T20 World Cup, they should send only 4 spinners and send one spectacular all-rounder.

Ravichandran Ashwin

SNAPSHOT: Ravichandran Ashwin of India playing a match in ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the most effective & senior spinners. Ashwin wasn’t a part of playing 11 in T20 World Cup 2021 for the matches against Pakistan & New Zealand. His absence made a big impact as the batters of Pakistan & New Zealand toyed with India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Ashwin’s experience of playing an ICC Tournament in Australia would be handy as in 2015 he was a part of the squad which made it to the Semi Finals. The crafty off spinner knows how to tackle risky situations, he is a spinner who won’t be afraid to toss a ball after getting hit for a monstrous six. Having him in the squad is must if he wants to make better progress.

Year	Matches	Wickets
2019	DNP	DNP
2020	DNP	DNP
2021	5	9
2022	DNP	DNP

Ravindra Jadeja

SNAPSHOT: Ravindra Jadeja appealing for a wicket.

Jadeja alike Ashwin is one of the senior spinners. Jadeja did his best against the likes of Pakistan & New Zealand, but he didn’t get ample support from the rest of the spinners. Jadeja has one specialty & peculiarity which is he finishes his overs quite quickly & not to forget he is an acrobatic fielder. In Australia’s long boundaries Rohit Sharma, the skipper would need a pin point fielder at Point & at boundaries. Jadeja gives the captain an option of playing an extra fast bowler as he can fill the place of a batter too. Jadeja should be a sure shot pick for the T20 World Cup 2022. His presence is a kind of fear factor for the opponent team.

Year	Matches	Wickets
2019	06	4
2020	04	4
2021	05	7
2022	03	2

Kuldeep Yadav

SNAPSHOT: Kuldeep Yadav poses a threat for the opponent by bowling unplayable deliveries.

The left arm-chinaman can be a dangerous asset to have. His wrist-spin & his chinaman bowling would be a treat to watch in SCG where the ball turns immensely. Kuldeep has been blatantly ignored by the selectors in the last 2 years. Kuldeep should be selected on his caliber of producing unplayable & not on merit as on his day he can be as destructive as ever. Kuldeep may be expensive but he can pick a wicket of a big fish.

Year	Matches	Wickets
2019	01	2
2020	02	2
2021	02	2
2022	01	0

Yuzvendra Chahal

SNAPSHOT: Yuzvendra Chahal delighted after picking up a wicket.

The right arm leg spinner is a lethal bowler. His shrewdness can be a defining factor in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022. He would be disappointed as he missed the cut for the T20 Worl Cup 2021 as the Chetan Sharma led panel ignored him by saying that the team needs a spinner who can bowl fast. Rahul Chahar was picked in his place. Chahal knows that his job is not only to contain runs but pickup wickets that too as a partnership breaker bowler. The smart leg spinner is a must if India wants to put a strong case in the World Cup.

Year	Matches	Wickets
2019	DNP	DNP
2020	09	7
2021	05	4
2022	04	4

Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav & Yuzvendra Chahal should be the 4 spinners for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. India should go in with the duo of Ashwin & Jadeja for the league matches at the Tournament. BCCI’s Selection Panel should make sure that this time the selection doesn’t go wrong as a new era has started under the leadership of Rohit Sharma & Rahul Dravid

India is set to play 5 League matches in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 which are as follows:

India vs Pakistan at Melbourne on 23^rd October
India vs Qualifier A2 at Sydney on 27^th October
India vs South Africa at Perth on 30^th October
India vs Bangladesh at Adelaide on 02^nd November
India vs Qualifier B1 at Melbourne on 06^th November

This 5 Matches will eventually decide the fate of a billion fans. India should not forget that couple of bad matches aren’t a reason to weep just like the 2021 T20 World Cup. India should keep their heads high as this time they are placed in a less precarious group.

New Zealand fretted India & took the gas out of India

New Zealand did an improbable effort to draw the 1^st Test Match against India at Kanpur. The pitch of Kanpur was uneven where the batters had a strenuous task on their head. New Zealand started off their defense of ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23.

India had a golden opportunity to stamp their authority. A target of 284 runs was literally impossible to chase down for Kiwis. The pitch was treacherous as the pitch was no less than a minefield yet a sporting wicket. Overnight on the 4^th day of the Test Match India had got rid of Will Young.

Tom Latham & the night-watchman Will Somerville were cautious in the 1^st Session. They both went unscathed into the lunch break. New Zealand required 205 runs in last 2 sessions which was a daunting & an unrealistic equation to attain. Rahane tried every trick in the book but New Zealand’s resilience was remarkable.

On the very first ball Umesh Yadav sent Somerville back to pavilion by bowling a pre-planned short ball. All of a sudden India sensed that they are in this. Somerville played an innings full of character by consuming 110 balls & scored 36 runs. Kane Williamson & Tom Latham made it clear that they need to see of the first half an hour. The Runs were hard to come as the ball was keeping eye-bogglingly low.

Tom Latham displayed complete mental application by notching up a half century of 52 runs in 146 balls. He was solid as rock but a little lapse of concentration paved the way for India. Ashwin has made a habit of dismissing Tom Latham in India as he has been his victim 6 times out of 8. Just at the brink of Tea New Zealand got another heart-attack as Ravindra Jadeja trapped Ross Taylor. The chance of a New Zealand win was out of the context as scoring 5 runs per over is quite not possible.

New Zealand had 6 wickets in hand & more than 30 overs were left. Rahane’s captaincy was spot on as he didn’t waste any time. Jadeja & Axar demolished New Zealand’s batting line up as their recognized batters were back at the hut. New Zealand had to play out a minimum 25 overs. It looked like the end is near as India’s spinners were ruthless.

Tom Blundell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Ajaz Patel & Tim Southee played out of their skin. The defense was at the peak as every bowler was helpless. Ashwin & Jadeja the current two stalwarts of India’s spin bowling had a nerve-wrecking day. Jadeja was lethal with the ball as he took 4 wickets.

The 10^th wicket-partnership between Ajaz Patel & Rachin Ravindra was a treat to watch. Both the batters showed immense courage to block the ball. New Zealand somehow avoided their ship to sink. At 98 overs New Zealand scored 165-9 runs. Due to the bad light the match was stopped, the full quota of 90 overs on the 5^th day was attained.

New Zealand pulled out a heist as a draw is as equal to a victory. India would be banging their heads as they failed to seize the moment. New Zealand would be smirking as once again they thrashed a billion people’s dreams in ICC Fixtures.

New Zealand & India both the teams got 6 points for the Test Match. India have got themselves to blame as 90+ overs are adequate to run out the opposition. The 2^nd Test Match is at Mumbai where we can expect a similar turner pitch.

Virat Kohli is going to resume his captaincy duties. The conundrum for Rahul Dravid is that who sits out as Shreyas Iyer has had a dream debut by notching a century & a half century. Rahane & Pujara are off-colors & at the twilight of their career as dropping one of them would literally mean that their career is over.

Virat Kohli & Rahul Dravid would look to rectify their mistakes & avoid an ignominy as India is not performing according to their credentials. The only way India can demolish New Zealand is by scoring gigantic 1^st inning score of 400+ runs irrespective of batting 1^st or 2^nd.

It seems likely that New Zealand would once again bury India alive. The way Black Caps have saved the Test Match augurs their preparation which may be short yet powerful. There are some loopholes regarding their batting collapses which quickly needs a turnaround. New Zealand’s last Test Series victory came in 1964-65, New Zealand had won the series by 1-0 (4 Test Match Series). It has been 57 years since New Zealand have tasted success in India which is like ages. The pace duo of Southee & Jamieson holds the key as both of them have express speed. New Zealand experimented with 3 spinners which wasn’t as fruitful as compared to India.

India hasn’t lost a single TEST Series in India since 2012; England had defeated India by 2-1. This record is in danger as India looks a bruised side whose traces are visible given their recent failures at ICC Events.

New Zealand Gatecrashed India’s T20 World Cup Journey

New Zealand razed India by chasing 111 runs in 14.3 overs by 8 wickets. The match was played at the Dubai International Stadium on 31^st October. New Zealand were absolutely brutal with ball & bat as their NRR (Net Run Rate) has peaked and it is +0.765. India now is almost out of the tournament as their fate is in another’s hand (*Afghanistan needs to defeat New Zealand). But first they need to win with huge margin against Afghanistan, Namibia & Scotland. The NRR of India is -1.609 which has put them on the brink of elimination.

SNAPSHOT: Kane Williamson & Virat Kohli playing the game in the right spirit.

New Zealand had won the toss & elected to bowl. India made some serious & controversial changes to their playing 11. They picked Ishan Kishan & Shardul Thakur in place of Suryakumar Yadav & Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Suryakumar was injured. India took a bold decision by opening with Ishan & Rahul. Rohit Sharma was dropped by Adam Milne on 0 on the bowling of Trent Boult. India once again got jolted in the power-play overs. India lost 3 wickets for 35 runs. Rahul & Kishan were pressurized by the immaculate setup of Kiwi’s bowlers.

India didn’t score a single boundary for a span of 70 balls (5.2 to 16.5 overs). The likes of Rishabh Pant & Hardik Pandya were playing too casually as they didn’t take any risks. Somehow in the end Ravindra Jadeja salvaged some pride by putting a score of 110 runs by scoring 26 runs in 19 balls.

The batting scores of India’s batters:

KL Rahul scored 18 runs in 16 balls
Rohit Sharma scored 14 runs in 14 balls
Virat Kohli scored 9 runs in 17 balls
Rishabh Pant scored 12 runs in 19 balls

There was no intent from batters as the passion was seen missing. 8 fours & 2 sixes were hit which is not acceptable at ICC Tournament.

New Zealand’s every bowler exploited the fear. Trent Boult mesmerized via his swing as he took 3 wickets for 20 runs. Ish Sodhi eliminated Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma the two cannons. It as if looked like New Zealand were playing against a weaker team.

SNAPSHOT: New Zealand’s team pumped up after picking up wickets at regular intervals.

In response to the target of 111 runs New Zealand scored 44 runs for the loss of 1 wicket of Guptill. The unexpected match winner for New Zealand with the bat was Daryl Mitchell as he scored 49 runs in 35 balls. In his knock he smashed 4 fours & 3 sixes. Daryl would rue the that he missed out on a deserving half-century. As calm as ice the skipper Kane Williamson carried out the finishing duties as he scored 33 runs in 31 balls.

SNAPSHOT: Daryl Mitchell anchoring as well as playing the role of enforcer in the run-chase

Jasprit Bumrah was the only bowler who took all the wickets & was economical. The management & skipper Virat Kohli needs to exhibit the team’s performance rather than boasting. Once again, he trusted Varun Chakravarthy instead of Ravichandran Ashwin. There are some serious problems in selection as the openers were changed & most importantly whole-sale changes have become a trend.

SNAPSHOT: Virat Kohli looks distraught & confused as time is running out for team

India needs to have some serious talks & conversations. The brand of Cricket which they are playing can get them completely eliminated by playing against Afghanistan on 3^rd November at Abu Dhabi. The change of venue can change the fortune which the entire billion people would hope of.

New Zealand would be high on confidence as they throwed India out of contention. New Zealand are due to play Scotland & Namibia which would be relatively easier compared to Pakistan & India. New Zealand should be ready for an uphill task as defeating Afghanistan won’t be easy. New Zealand & Afghanistan are alike to each other which will make an even contest on 07^th November at Abu Dhabi.

India & New Zealand face off in a Virtual Knock-out Punch as the Race for Semi-Finals gets tightened up

Overview

India & New Zealand are due to face each other on the 31st of October at Dubai International Stadium. Both the teams were handed humiliating & heart-breaking defeats by the ‘Mercurial & Unpredictable’ Pakistan. Virat Kohli & Kane Williamson would avoid the embarrassment by winning; especially India who would like to break the hoodoo of 14-year drought period without an ICC T20 World Cup Trophy.

New Zealand has had the wood over India in ICC T20 World Cups as both the teams have been clashed 2 times:

1st instance was at the inaugural T20 World Cup 2007 where the hosts where South Africa. New Zealand overcame India by winning the match by 10 runs as a gigantic target of 191 runs was a bit too much at that period of time. The multi-star-studded batting line up which consisted of (*former batters) Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir tried but pressure got better of them as New Zealand’s bowlers were throwing unexpected surprises as the damage was done by the former left arm off spinner Daniel Vettori who had taken 4 wickets.

2nd instance was in the last edition of ICC T20 World Cup 2016 at India. New Zealand had annihilated India by winning the match by 47 runs as New Zealand had bowled out India for 79 runs given the target of 127 runs. It was a shocking loss for India as Kiwi’s spinners had duped India batsmen who are known to be very good spin batters as the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli & Co was left stunned & flabbergasted by the immaculateness of Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi(** currently both of the spinners are in the playing 11) & Nathan McCullum(*former) who took 7 wickets amongst themselves.

In the recent times India has settled the record with New Zealand as in 2020 there was a bilateral 5 T20I Match Series in New Zealand in which India had whitewashed Kiwis. The overall record of India-New Zealand T20I matches stands at 6-8 out of 16 matches (* 2 matches were abandoned due to rain).

India

For India this is literally a do-or-die match as already their NRR (Net Run Rate) is -0.973. India’s conundrum of tackling swing bowling had got exposed as India had lost 3 wickets in power-play overs. The annoying problem for India is that Hardik Pandya isn’t 100 % match fit to play as an all-rounder as playing 5 bowlers isn’t a feasible option. Suryakumar Yadav who got drafted into playing 11 needs to play according to the situation as every time going for boundaries that too in crisis period isn’t a favourable option.

This is the first & last T20 World Cup for Virat Kohli as the Captain of Team India as earlier (before the start of the second leg of Vivo IPL 2021) he had announced his decision. Virat Kohli undoubtedly is one of the finest & greatest batters in the history of T20I Cricket as in the 1st match, he had showcased his prowess by scoring a fighting half century of 57 runs against Pakistan when the team was in a deep muddle. As of now India needs Virat the Leader who trusts his team players & most importantly makes sensible & practical decisions as picking Varun Chakravarthy over Ravichandran Ashwin is a blunder given the wealth of experience & skill Ashwin possesses.

SNAPSHOT: Virat Kohli raising his bat after leading the batting (57 runs) against Pakistan.

India may tinker with the bowling combination as all the three pacers: Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar & Jasprit Bumrah weren’t that much effective & productive. Shardul Thakur can come in as a replacement for any one of the pacers or for Hardik Pandya as he is a pinch-hitter too who can be handy in tense situation. One of KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma have to take responsibility of batting at-least till the 10th over as their presence keeps the opponent frightened.

New Zealand

New Zealand would rue the fact that they lost against Pakistan as at one situation they were in a commanding position & bossing the game. New Zealand’s NRR is not far behind from India as it stands at -0.532. New Zealand’s middle order is a bit fragile as the skipper Kane Williamson has to try & bat through the entire quota of 20 overs. James Neesham’s batting position needs to get sorted as he has batted as a finisher at No.6 or 7 throughout his career.

New Zealand astonishingly opened with the all-rounder Daryl Mitchell who had a decent outing as he scored a quick fire 27 runs in 20 balls but in doing so Tim Seifert the swashbuckling batter batted at No.7 position which affected the innings at the back end as Seifert wasn’t clearing the rope.

Before the start of their opening match against Pakistan; New Zealand were halted by the calf injury of the speedster Lockie Ferguson which ruled him out of the tournament. Lockie’s absence would hurt as he is one of the best amongst the crop of Kiwis & World Cricket at death overs; while on the other side the gates have been opened for Adam Milne (*reserve player) who somewhat has shades of the former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond who coincidentally is New Zealand’s fast bowling consultant. New Zealand are high on pace bowlers as they have the lanky Kyle Jamieson & the duo of Tim Southee-Trent Boult as these pacers are intimidating regardless of the pitch.

Pitch & Conditions

Dubai’s pitch is expected to be a run feast as the teams should target a score around 160-180 runs & even more as dew can be a decisive factor.

Keys to succeed in India vs New Zealand match

India’s strength is their power-packed batting line up; if they win the toss they should opt to bat irrespective of the conditions as New Zealand’s batting is topsy-turvy & scratchy.

New Zealand’s USP is their bowling as their bowling line up has got ingredients to suppress the opponent; but for that to happen the batters need to put a formidable total of 150-160 runs as 130 odd runs won’t win too many matches.

India is known to produce staggering performances to raise against the circumstances & would believe that the hopes of a billion people aren’t diminished.

New Zealand team’s idiosyncrasy is that they play like a team where they aren’t dependent on a single individual as they subsequently find multiple match winners on the given day.

It would be fascinating to see as which team’s journey would be stroked as both the teams are due to face Afghanistan, Scotland & Namibia where most likely they won’t have their fate in their hands. India have made it to the Semi Finals 3 times out of 6 (* 2007, 2014 & 2016) whereas New Zealand’s ratio is 2 times out of 6 (* 2007 & 2016).