Bristol: Faced with selection dilemmas and struggling to adapt in hostile conditions, the Shreyas Iyer-led India have their task cut out when they take on England in the series-deciding fourth T20 International here on Thursday.
The biggest selection conundrum surrounds Sanju Samson, who was dropped from the second and third T20I in favour of 15-year-old swashbuckler Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The teenager has not done any worse or better than the rest of the team so far and given that the side is trailing 0-2 right now, India head coach Gautam Gambhir has not ruled out Samson’s return.
In a matter of four months, Samson’s career has swung from darkness to dizzying heights, only to return to square one.
While it would be unfair to blame skipper Iyer, who is chasing his first victory since being elevated to captaincy in a surprise decision during his comeback series, the onus lies heavily on the coaching think-tank led by Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar’s selection committee.
It remains to be seen if they can avoid the ignominy of another series loss.
The tactical calls made by the team management have not gone down well with the fans too.
Chants of “We Want Sanju” echoed outside Trent Bridge stadium as the Gambhir-led contingent proceeded to the team bus following their crushing 125-run defeat in the third T20I on Wednesday.
If sidelining their T20 World Cup-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav immediately after the historic triumph drew immense criticism, the decision to ignore hero of the same tournament, Samson, has now fuelled another public backlash.
The shocking capitulation at Trent Bridge has also laid bare the team’s flaws and the management’s lack of a clear vision.
The batters failed miserably against a fast and furious pace attack led by Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, who blew India away by sharing seven wickets between them, including the entire top five.
Axe on Tilak?
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Now, in order to accommodate Samson without unsettling the opening partnership and thereby granting Sooryavanshi an unhindered, pressure-free run to find his flair, the middle order may have to be rejigged.
While wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan is likely to retain his place as the management trusts his glovework and batting flair, it is vice captain Tilak Varma whose spot may come under intense scrutiny.
Known for his finishing ability, the Mumbai Indians batter has struggled alongside his teammates.
Apart from a gritty 55 against Ireland that went in vain during a narrow one-run defeat, Varma has been found wanting, failing to convert his starts with scores of 13, 24 not out, and 3 in the matches in England.
It remains to be seen if India will fall back on Samson to revive their sagging fortunes with a revamped batting order.
Another baffling tactical blunder on Wednesday saw Harshit Rana promoted ahead of designated finisher Shivam Dube inside the powerplay during a chase that saw India bundled out for a paltry 76.
If batting needs to step up by several notches, the story is no different for the bowling department, especially the spinners.
Mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been a massive letdown, managing just one wicket from seven overs across the series.
In contrast, the Harry Brook-led England squad has no such concerns. They head into the contest on a high following the return to form of explosive opener Phil Salt, who smashed a 44-ball 70.
England’s biggest positive has been the pace duo of Archer and Tongue, who have seamlessly formed a potent new-ball partnership, unleashing raw pace and steep bounce.
Having established their chemistry during last month’s Test series against New Zealand, Tongue has carried his red-hot form into the shortest format alongside his senior partner.
With the series on the line for India, the English pace battery will look to ramp up the challenge on Thursday and seal the issue before the final T20I in Southampton on Saturday.
Squads:
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India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Suryansh Shedge, Washington Sundar.
England: Harry Brook (captain), Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, Jordan Cox, Sonny Baker, Luke Wood, Saqib Mahmood, Rehan Ahmed, James Coles.
Match Starts at 10pm IST.
