Three Matches, Several Questions: What Should India Experiment With Before The T20 World Cup?

 

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Trisha Ghosal, Taunton

In Taunton, on the eve of the T20I series decider, rain set in around mid-afternoon and never really went away, forcing both India and England to abandon plans of training outdoors and move their preparations inside. Whether the weather allows a full game remains to be seen, but for India, there may be a bigger picture to consider. With the decider followed by two warm-up matches in Cardiff, the Indian side effectively has just three games left to answer a few lingering questions before the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup begins.

One of those questions revolves around Richa Ghosh. There is no debate about what she brings to the side. On her day, she can change a match in the space of a few deliveries. The issue, however, is whether India are giving her enough time to do that. Walking in during the 14th or 15th over often means she has to start swinging from ball one. On surfaces where timing is not always straightforward, that can be a difficult assignment.

Someone like Richa does not necessarily need ten overs at the crease, but a few deliveries to understand the pace of the pitch can make the difference between winning a match and losing it. Once she is set, she has the power to recover those early dot balls. Giving her a little more time in the middle could be something worth looking at before the World Cup, much like England is doing with Amy Jones.

In the middle order, another question lingers on Yastika Bhatia. She made an impressive return after injury and immediately showed what she can offer at the top. Yet in both the games, her scoring rate has dipped after the Powerplay. In the powerplay, Yastika has scored 46 runs in 22 ball at a SR of 209.09; after the powerplay she has scores 41 runs off 54 balls at a SR of 75.92. With only a handful of matches left, India may decide this is the right time to give Bharti Fulmali another opportunity and see what different combinations look like.

That would also allow Jemimah Rodrigues to settle back into the No. 3 position. While Rodrigues has repeatedly said that batting positions are not a concern as long as her role is clearly defined, every batter enjoys knowing exactly where they fit into the side heading into a major tournament.

Then there is Radha Yadav. If she is part of the World Cup plans, India need to see her in action. Her bowling is already a known quantity, but her batting could be particularly useful in English conditions. She runs well between the wickets, can contribute valuable runs lower down the order and offers balance to the side. The next three games feel like the ideal opportunity to assess exactly how India want to use her.

The bowling department presents another interesting selection dilemma. If the weather forecast proves accurate and conditions remain overcast, Renuka Singh Thakur becomes a very tempting option. The breeze around Taunton has been constant over the last couple of days and there has been enough moisture in the air to suggest seam movement could play a role.

Those are precisely the sort of conditions in which Renuka tends to thrive. Against aggressive batters like Sophia Dunkley, her ability to move the ball could become a genuine weapon. Dunkley likes to take the attack to bowlers early, but any assistance from the conditions could bring Renuka into the contest immediately.

That said, one difficult outing should not suddenly become a major concern for Arundhati Reddy. Every bowler has off days. The challenge for the team management is deciding when to experiment and when to back players who have already delivered in the past.

The weather forecast may dominate conversations heading into the decider, but India’s team management will have one eye firmly on the bigger picture. Results matter, of course, but with only three matches left before the World Cup, every selection call, batting-order tweak and bowling experiment could prove crucial when the tournament gets underway.

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