India vs West Indies: Rain threat looms over T20I series decider in Bengaluru

Indian cricket team (PTI Photo)

Bengaluru: Evening showers over the past few days have kept Bengaluru drenched, and the forecast offers little respite over the weekend. That is hardly welcome news ahead of the India-West Indies T20I series decider on Saturday night, with rain threatening a contest that promises plenty of fireworks.With the high-scoring series locked at 2-2, both teams will be desperately hoping for a full game. For India, there is an added incentive: they have not lost a home bilateral T20I series since Feb 2019.

The opening match saw India chase down a modest target of 172 with eight wickets to spare, but the contest has taken a different turn since. The next three matches have produced a staggering 1,403 runs in 118 overs, with the batters dominating and the bowlers struggling to keep a lid on the scoring.The second match in Ranchi was a reality check for India’s bowling attack. West Indies chased down a target of 250, exposing the vulnerability of an attack missing Jasprit Bumrah. The series has underlined how crucial both Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are to India’s T20 plans.Arshdeep Singh has delivered at key moments, notably in Indore, but the pace attack has lacked consistency. When the quicks have leaked runs in the Powerplay, the spinners have been left to contain the damage, often without success.

Arshdeep, who took a blow to his bowling shoulder from a Shamar Joseph bouncer in the previous match in Hyderabad, remains a doubt. The addition of Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the squad could prove a timely boost for the hosts.The 36-year-old is no stranger to the Chinnaswamy, where he made his T20I debut against Pakistan. Although his last T20I appearance came against New Zealand in Napier in Nov 2022, he has since enjoyed considerable success with RCB in the IPL.

Bowling coach Morne Morkel did not rule out Arshdeep’s participation. “He (Arshdeep) is recovering well, so I think he is definitely not ruled out and is still available. Also, I am very excited to have Bhuvneshwar back in the mix,” he said.While India’s bowling has come under scrutiny, the batting has not been without its shortcomings. Even amid the run-fests, they have struggled to sustain their momentum.