Down 0-2 in the five-match T20I series, Team India will be eager to get on the scoreboard when they face West Indies in the third match which will be played in Guyana’s Providence Stadium on August 8, 2023.
West Indies won the first two matches by narrow margins and the Indian team was to blame for the losses as poor batting in the first match cost them the encounter by 4 runs and bizarre tactics by Hardik Pandya with his bowling choices, meant that India lost the second match by 2 wickets.
But now, with the series on the line, Hardik Pandya and co. will have to bring the best out of themselves and possibly make some hard calls when it comes to the playing combination for the third T20I.
Therefore, here is the COC Predicted Team India playing XI for the third T20I in Guyana.
Indian team has been exposed for not having enough aggression at the top as openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill have struggled to give the side the good starts they needed. Gill made two single-digit scores, while Kishan made 27 in the second match.
However, with someone like Yashasvi Jaiswal in the shed, Indian team management might be tempted to bring him in thanks to his exploits in the IPL 2023 to provide impetus to the innings in powerplay overs.
The middle order has looked decent, thanks mostly to Tilak Varma, while Suryakumar Yadav and Sanji Samson have struggled to take the team towards a daunting total. Hardik Pandya has done well with both the ball and the bat, but his captaincy decisions still have a question mark.
Kuldeep Yadav, who missed the previous game due to an injury is expected to return and replace Ravi Bishnoi in the playing XI and there are hopes that Hardik will utilize Akshar Patel better with the ball in this match.
Yuzvendra Chahal will be once again expected to run through the Windies batting lineup and he’ll need all the support from his fellow spinners.
As for the pace department, the Indian team might think of moving on from the medium pace of Mukesh Kumar as Alzarri Joseph and Romario Shepherd of West Indies have shown that express pace can trouble the batters on even the deadest of pitches.
This calls for India to unleash Umran Malik in tandem with Arshdeep Singh and let the J&K pacer showcase what he is capable of doing. It’s time for Indian team management to show faith in their fastest bowler and allow him to flourish.
COC Predicted Team India playing XI for the third T20I:
Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya (C), Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik
