Three areas of concern for the Indian Team ahead of 2nd T20I vs West Indies

 

 

 

Team India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first game at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday and secured a crucial 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series, defeating West Indies. The Indian team chose bowling first after winning the toss and did well to restrict the Windies to 157 for 7. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi made a memorable T20I debut, claiming 2 for 17. Harshal Patel also did well, picking up a couple of important scalps.

 

Here are a few things that Team India needs to focus on:

 

1. Poor return of Virat Kohli

 

In the three-match ODI series against West Indies, Virat registered scores of 8, 18 and 0. In the first game, he came out and scored consecutive fours but fell immediately after, looking to play another big stroke. It was an unusual innings and an indication of his baffled mindset.

 

 

Another win in the bag! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/h40HvHLYI7

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) February 9, 2022

 

2. Wasting good starts with the bat

 

Not just Kohli, India’s middle order has been inconsistent for a while in white-ball cricket. They have not been able to build on good platforms set by the top order. The same story happened in Kolkata in the first T20I as well, with the Indian team slipping from 93 for 1 to 114 for 4 before eventually being rescued by Suryakumar and Iyer.

 

South Africa took advantage of Team India’s uncertainty in the middle order during the one-day series. India were 138 for 1 in the first match, 179 for 2 in the second and 116 for 1 in the third. Still, they ended up being blanked 0-3. Sooner rather than later the Indian side needs to find better resistance from the middle order.

 

3. Leaking runs in death overs

 

Although Team India had won the opening T20I against West Indies easily, their bowlers allowed the visitors to get away at the end. The Windies were reeling at 94 for 5 after 14 overs, but recovered to score a competitive 157 for 7. India needs to be sharper at the death.Even in the one-day series, while India’s bowlers were excellent overall but they failed to run through the West Indies lower order. The visitors were 79 for 7 in the first ODI and recovered to post 176. In the second match, they finished on 193 after being 76 for 5. And while the hosts completed a cover up in the final game, they again allowed West Indies to reach 169 after having them on the mat at 82 for 7.