T20I cricket returns to Delhi with the India vs Afghanistan match on Sunday. Before the game, highlighting the conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, former BCCI selector Sarandeep Singh expected high-scoring encounters to be the norm in the three-match series, while adding that India should look to play Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundarand Axar Patel as their spin-bowling combination. “The way Delhi Premier League games were played some time ago and how Arun Jaitley Stadium wickets usually behave, they support batting a lot. We have seen big scores on these pitches in the T20 World Cup and domestic season. As far as spinners are concerned, India always likes to go with all-rounders.
“Ravi Bishnoi was in the scheme of things but was not able to perform as well. Varun Chakaravarthy is a regular spinner; Washington Sundar and Axar Patel can bat and bowl as well. I feel it will be a good combination for India, as there should be variation too. There should be a left-arm spinner and an off-spinner, and India will definitely go with them,” he added.
Turning to the fast-bowling unit, Sarandeep recalled how he met jasprit bumrah during his recovery from a left knee injury at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, and the big boost India gets from his return.
“It is a big advantage for India to have Bumrah back because you get a confidence boost. I was conducting a high-performance camp at the Centre of Excellence and was also there with the North Zone team as their coach during the Duleep Trophy. I saw Bumrah doing his fitness work there.
“He was getting fully fit and was bowling his heart out. Whenever he comes back, he bowls his heart out. He never plays if he is not fit, as he returns only when he is fully fit. He did well in the Centre of Excellence practice games, performed strongly in the match simulations, and looked fully fit. I met him there every day. Bumrah being fully fit and his return to the Indian team is a big boost for us, as the other fast bowlers start looking better.”
Addressing the pace-bowling additions following Harshit Rana being ruled out due to a fresh thigh strain, Sarandeep highlighted Yash Thakur‘s progression through domestic cricket and India A tours. Nagpur-based Thakur made his T20I debut in July against Zimbabwe and picked up two wickets in as many games.
“Yash Thakur had a very good time with Punjab Kings in the IPL, but when Vidarbha won the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he played really well. He has been performing consistently in domestic cricket over the past two to three years and has earned this opportunity as a result.
“He performed well in Sri Lanka in the India A games and then on the Zimbabwe tour. He got a chance here because Harshit is currently unfit. Hopefully, he can cement his place in the Indian team. We have a lot of injury concerns. The advantage is that any fast bowler who is fit will get more opportunities.”
Analysing Shreyas Iyer‘s task as India’s captain to build some winning momentum for his team after winning just three out of 10 games, Sarandeep pointed to tactical adjustments and managing bowlers during high-pressure situations as key challenges.
“In T20 cricket, it’s really difficult to say which areas he should improve because the game moves so quickly. But there are some crucial aspects, such as bowling changes, which are very important. Should the spinners be brought on during the powerplay or not?
“Also, who will bowl at the death? Harshit Rana is not there now, and Yash Thakur has come in. Nitish Reddy is returning after injury, and where he fits in is important. Making crucial bowling changes at the right time is equally important. Your batting line-up is set and the batting order is established. But when you go into the field, you have to know who will bowl in each phase of the game.
“Even though Jasprit Bumrah is one of the world’s finest fast bowlers across all three formats, he is still returning from injury. So it might take some time for him to find his rhythm, because we expect Jasprit Bumrah to come in and start taking wickets immediately. But he still needs time, as he is coming back from injury.
“So it is possible that Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t take wickets right away, but your other bowlers should be ready, and Yash Thakur should also do well. You already have Arshdeep Singh, who consistently takes wickets for you. The main thing is how you rotate Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel. They have so much experience and have won many matches for India. So, managing these three spinners will be a major challenge for Shreyas Iyer,” he concluded
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