FLOURISH OR PERISH
Pressure on spinners, Ruturaj as India takes on SA in must-win match
Under-performing spinners, an out-of-form opener and his own poor show – skipper Rishabh Pant will have a lot on his mind when India takes on a buoyant South Africa in the third T20I on Tuesday in its bid to keep the five-match series alive.
The host came into the series on a 12-match winning streak but South Africa took the wind out of India’s sails with two emphatic victories. Pant’s side is now struggling on multiple fronts and it would take a herculean effort to plug all the holes with just one day between the second and third match.
If bowling let India down in the first match, a poor batting show cost it the second contest and now, it has its backs to the wall. India’s batting left a lot to be desired with the openers failing to give the team a good start in the powerplay.
While Ishan Kishan has done well so far, Ruturaj Gaikwad (23, 1) has pulled the team down with questions being raised over his technique against quality pacers and his ability to force the pace early on.
Shreyas Iyer too has looked vulnerable against the fast bowlers and even though he has got starts, he has not been able to capitalise or push the run-rate, putting pressure on the next line of batters in the middle-order. Shoehorned into captaincy, Pant (29, 5) has not fired himself so far. He has only three fifties in 45 T20Is with an average of 23.9 and strike-rate of 126.6.
As someone who is touted as a future leader, Pant has not inspired enough confidence with his leadership abilities.
His decision to promote Axar Patel over designated finisher and the experienced Dinesh Karthik in the second game was baffling. In bowling, the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar have been a big letdown as they went for 75 and 59 in six and five overs in the two matches and the axe is likely to fall on one of them going into the third game. India’s think-tank might also look to unleash the express pace of Umran Malik on South Africa or get Arshdeep Singh in place of Avesh Khan, who is yet to take a wicket in the series.
South Africa has looked like a well-oiled machine with both its bowlers and batters working in partnerships. If David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen took it away in the first T20I, Heinrich Klassen proved to be the difference on Sunday.