KOLKATA, Feb 17: Clinical in most aspects of the game so far, India will now hope that star batter Virat Kohli also regains his form when they take on a struggling West Indies in the potentially series-deciding second T20 International here on Friday.
The touring West Indies side has been far from being at its best and has failed to trouble the hosts in any of the matches so far.
After being outclassed 0-3 in the ODI leg in Ahmedabad, the Kieron Pollard-led team was expected to give India some challenge in its favourite T20 format. But they hardly managed to trouble the hosts in the first T20I.
Another win and it will be a third successive series win for Rohit Sharma after being appointed full time captain for Team India.
The only concern for India has been Kohli’s form and he would definitely want a bigger knock than his scores of 8, 18, 0, and 17 so far in the assignment.
On his part, Rohit knows the importance of going hard in the powerplay.
With Ishan Kishan looking ordinary and struggling to get going at the other end, Rohit made bulk of the 58 runs that India scored in the powerplay, something that meant they never fell behind the 158-run chase.
As for Ishan, the most expensive (Rs 15.25 crore) buy in the IPL 2022 auction, he was not able to score freely and failed to rotate strike when Rohit looked in sublime touch.
With India opting for a six-bowler combination featuring pace bowling all-rounder Venkatesh, in-form batter Shreyas Iyer had to sit out of the opening game.
“We were very clear with Shreyas, we told him the team wants that option (of an all-rounder) going into the World Cup. We need that option in the middle, someone who can bowl,” Rohit said after the match.
India will also be fretting over injury to pacer Deepak Chahar who sustained a blow to his right hand while fielding.
Looking for their first win of the tour, it would be a make or break match for the Windies. They would look forward to the return of their pace bowling all-rounder Jason Holder who had to sit out of the first T20I following a niggle. For the visitors, the lone bright spot on Wednesday was their vice captain Nicholas Pooran’s return to form with the bat.
India
Rohit Sharma (C), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav and Harpreet Brar.
West Indies
Kieron Pollard (C), Nicholas Pooran (VC), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Kyle Mayers, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Match starts at 7 pm IST. (PTI)
