India looks to crack code after Mohali debacle

By Our Special Correspondent

At this point, the Indian cricket team's situation mirrors that of life: you can't overcome one challenge and move on to the next.

After India had successfully sorted out their batting, they felt it was time to breathe easy as their top order was now looking for straight boundaries. But recently their death bowling is giving them headaches.

Since January 2022, 33 bowlers have bowled 20 or more over’s at the death in T20 cricket. Among them, Harshal Patel (10.45) has the tenth worst economy rate. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is somewhere in between with 9.54.

In the first match of the ongoing series, India scored 208 for 6, their highest T20I score against Australia. During their chase, Australia needed 55 runs from the last four over’s but ended the game with four balls left in the bank.

Yes, the Mohali pitch is flat, the outfield sparkles and the boundaries are short, but there is no snow. While India are without the services of Jasprit Bumrah, Australia are also without David Warner, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis.

However, India has solutions in the T20 World Cup, even if not this series. Once Bumrah comes back, that should solve half the problem. Although Arshdeep Singh is not in the squad for the Australia series, he may be tried in place of Harschel during the South Africa T20Is. With a death-over’s economy of 7.16, Arshdeep is third in the above list.

Meanwhile, Australia will be happy to see their captain Aaron Finch return to form after a dismal spell in ODIs this year. He took on Bhuvneshwar in the power play, smashing him for 22 in two over have to set the tone. In other positives, Steven Smith, for the first time since last October, is no. Batting at 3, he scored 35 off 24 balls and Matthew Wade once again showed his full skills with an unbeaten 45 off 21 balls.

The visitors will be looking to seal the series in Nagpur itself, which will be another big boost in the absence of many first-choice players.

With Bumrah only playing three of India's 27 T20Is this year, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is their regular death bowler. However, the last few games have put his character under the scanner. In the Super 4 game against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, India was favorites before he went for 19 in the last over of the chase. In the first T20 against Australia, he scored 15 runs in the 17th and 19th overs. Should India look to get him out in the 16th over?

Prior to this series, Cameron Green had not opened in any form in senior cricket. But he hit four boundaries in the first four balls he faced in the first T20I and scored 61 off 30 balls to win the player-of-the-match award. Green is not part of Australia's T20 World Cup squad, but if a batting slot opens up, the selectors know who to call upon. Friday will be another chance to make his case.