3rd T20I: Flat Pitch, Small Boundaries Point To Another Run-fest Between India And West Indies (preview)

3rd T20I: Flat pitch, small boundaries point to another run-fest between India and West Indies (preview) (Ranchi: India vs West Indies 2nd T20I )

Star Sports Network:  Another bat-versus-bat encounter on cards is set to increase the pressure on bowlers when India and the West Indies square off in the third T20I to be played at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday.

As many as 501 runs were scored in the second T20I in Ranchi, where the West Indies pulled off a thrilling win by hunting down 250 with more than an over to spare. The result forced India head coach Gautam Gambhir to cast his spotlight on the woes of bowlers for the second time in a fortnight.

With the pitch expected to be a belter again in Indore, Gambhir's think tank along with his bowling attack and the same in the opposition camp cannot reprieve, as apart from short boundaries, dew is also expected to play a big role.

All will boil down to precise execution of plans and basics across departments, including fielding. In Ranchi, Mayank Yadav, who breathed fire in the power-play and took three scalps, spilled a regulation catch of Sherfane Rutherford.

It proved to be a turning point as Rutherford went from 38 off 18 balls to smash a scintillating 84 off 37 balls, hitting seven sixes and as many fours in a match-defining 120-run stand with skipper Shai Hope, who himself hit an unbeaten century.

India will always be wary of the dangerous big-hitter Hope at the top of the order, who has already plundered two centuries on this tour to keep his side competitive against the hosts batting prowess.

India will also hope that rest of the bowlers – Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Dube and Naman Dhir – will support Mayank in what will be another tough exam in Indore.

Among the bright sparks in the series for India so far has been skipper Shreyas Iyer. With the help from former India batting coach Abhishek Nayar, Iyer has rediscovered his touch by hitting 102 not out in Indore and a quickfire 18-ball 40 in Ranchi.

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson's 41-ball 82 ended his lean patch and that will mean young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to wait for his opportunity. India are expected to stick with their experimentation, even as the West Indies enter with confidence on their side - boosted by Rutherford's fine form coupled with Hope's exploits and Roston Chase's crucial spell of 3-24.

When: October 11, Sunday at 7:00 PM

Where: Holkar Stadium, Indore

Where to watch: The match will be shown live on the Star Sports Network channels on TV and live-stream is available on the JioHotstar app and website.

Squads

India: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, and Mayank Yadav.

Squads

Article Source: IANS