Legendary Indian batsman VVS Laxman was among the former cricketers who criticized Team India’s team selection for the third T20I against England after they suffered a heavy defeat of 8 wickets on Tuesday (March 16) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
For the crucial third T20I, India had brought in Rohit Sharma in place of Suryakumar Yadav who made his debut in the second T20I but didn’t get to bat, while dropped in-form young hitter Ishan Kishan, who hit a fifty on debut on Tuesday, to number three against England in Ahmedabad.
India sent Rohit and KL Rahul to open the innings and then Kishan at No. 3 – the decision backfired as England thrashed the hosts by 8 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing five-match T20I series.
Ahead of the fourth game on Thursday (March 18) in Ahmedabad, Laxman said he also found some of India’s decision-making baffling in the third T20I while saying stacking the line-up with batsmen can be counter-productive for the Men in Blue against England.
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He further suggested Team India to “revisit their combination and factor in another bowling option” in order to challenge the strong and in red-hot form England in the remaining two games.
Laxman wrote in a column for The Times of India: “I also found some of India’s decision-making baffling. I am sure the team management has its reasons, but what can possibly be the logic behind pushing Ishan Kishan, who made a half-century on debut as an opener, down to No. 3?
Or leaving out Suryakumar Yadav, who didn’t even get to bat in his only appearance? Kohli put on a master-class in the art of innings-building. He was only 24 off 25 balls but switched gears effortlessly to finish with 77 off 46.”
The former cricket further pointed out that Virat Kohli's exceptional knock of unbeaten 77 couldn’t even undo the damage caused early in the powerplay in the third game.
He further explained, “Tuesday’s third T20I was an action replay of the first game, where India lost three wickets – and the match – in the power play overs. Statistics reveal that teams win, at best, one in four games when more than two wickets fall in the first six.
Virat Kohli tried to resuscitate the floundering effort with an exceptional knock, but despite his best efforts, not even he could undo the damage caused upfront. The red-soil surface was England’s great ally after Eoin Morgan won the toss, which has become a significant factor in this series.”
Following the early damage, India needed to take early wickets to win the third game, but Jos Buttler didn’t allow any bowler to cause damage, as she scored an unbeaten 83 to take England over the line with 10 balls to spare to win the game by 8 wickets and take a 2-1 lead in the ongoing series.
Laxman said India needs to come up with the right combination and suggested them to make some changes in the bowling department to bounce back strongly in the ongoing T20I series against England.
He signed off by saying, “India needed early wickets, which is perhaps why Yuzvendra Chahal bowled in the power play, but Jos Buttler had an answer to every question. India will need to revisit their combination, and factor in another bowling option to account for any eventuality. Stacking the line-up with batsmen can be counter-productive, as evidenced twice in the last three matches.”
