India vs West Indies: 3 tweaks the Men In Blue need to make for the 3rd T20I

#1 Find a way to include Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav

Over the past couple of matches, India have failed to pick wickets at regular intervals, meaning that the visitors have managed to stitch together partnerships and then embark on their fabled hitting spree. Thus, if the hosts are to contain the West Indians and set themselves up for a series victory, one feels that they might just have to evolve a mechanism to keep chipping away at the tourists’ batting line-up. And, that, is where Kuldeep Yadav could come into the equation.

The left-arm spinner has been left out of both games as the Men In Blue have preferred Ravindra Jadeja and Washington. Consequently, wickets have been hard to come by in the middle phases. Moreover, Kuldeep’s absence has been magnified with Jasprit Bumrah missing.

On Wednesday, at the Wankhede Stadium, a placid pitch seems to be in the offing for both outfits, meaning that the game could morph into a six-hitting contest. Hence, a bowler of the ilk of Kuldeep, who boasts an astounding average of 12.97 and an equally impressive strike rate of 11.5, could prove to be the tonic to the hosts’ ailments.

Additionally, finger spinners might not be as effective in Mumbai, especially against the raw hitting power of the West Indians. After all, one only needs to remember the carnage they affected at the 2016 ICC World T20 to drive that point home.

Most importantly though, the visitors aren’t great players of wrist-spin, a fact emphasised by their batsmen’s rather sub-standard record against Kuldeep.

Shimron Hetmyer has faced the left-arm spinner in ODIs and Tests, while they haven’t confronted each other in the shortest format. In the 50-over version, the West Indian has scored 49 runs and has gotten out twice to Kuldeep, whereas in Tests, he has been scalped thrice by the chinaman, despite Hetmyer only facing 24 deliveries.

Similarly, Nicholas Pooran has also been put to the sword by Kuldeep with the latter getting the better of him once in ODIs and T20Is. More tellingly though, despite facing 36 deliveries in 50-over cricket, Pooran has only managed 31 runs.

Lewis, on the other hand, enjoyed one good innings against Kuldeep in T20Is, back in 2017, meaning that that particular statistic is slightly skewed. However, in ODIs, the Indian has dismissed him thrice in 43 balls, with the West Indian scoring 32 runs.

Furthermore, Kieron Pollard has always looked susceptible to wrist spin with his ability to pick the bowler out of his hand coming under the scanner.

Thus, there seems plenty of evidence for India to fiddle with their line-up and find a way to include Kuldeep. And, while that might mean benching the usually reliable Jadeja, it could prove to be a masterstroke, especially considering the skill-set the chinaman would bring to the plate.