While the timing of the defeat left Dravid preoccupied with the Asia Cup and the World Cup around the corner, Ashwin delivered the main verdict on the conundrum. One of the main reasons India suffered a humiliating defeat to the West Indies in the T20I series was their batting depth. In their five matches in the recently concluded competition, India participated with four Nos thanks to their strategy of a more diverse bowling attack.
But the strategy backfired, costing them their first ever bilateral series (minimum 3 matches) defeat against the West Indies since 2006. While the timing of the defeat left head coach Rahul Dravid concerned with the Asia Cup and World Cup around the corner, Ravichandran Ashwin delivered the major verdict on puzzle.
Speaking to reporters after India’s 8-wicket defeat in Lauderhill on Sunday, where India managed to set a target of just 166 runs on just 65 runs from Suryakumar Yadav, Dravid admitted that their hands were tied. character of the team and the options available and added that the issue will be resolved as the team now stands a fortnight away from leaving for the Asia Cup.
“I think in terms of our team, it probably didn’t allow us the flexibility in some ways to change the combinations a little bit,” he said after the T20I final. “But I think going forward we have to look at certain areas where we can improve. Finding depth in our batting is an area that we’re trying to address. We’re trying to do the best we can, but that’s definitely an area that we can look at how we can not weaken our bowling attack but make sure we have some depth in the batting.”
If Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul can return for the Asia Cup, India will have their best 7 in the playing eleven intact with Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja as all-rounders and the likes of Shubman Gill, captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. highest rank. But it is the tail that worries India. While India fielded Shardul Thakur as No.8 in the ODI series, the lack of options left India with Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh playing a role in the T20I contest.
On his YouTube channel last week, Ashwin backed Thakur as No.8 in the World Cup but admitted that if India pick both Kuldeep and Yuzvendra Chahal in the XI, then the problem will remain.
“You don’t want your tail to start that early and that’s why you need someone like Shardul Thakura to come in and smash a few balls that get to No. 8. But you should play your best batsmen and bowlers to win the match. At the same time, if you needed 36 to win from 30 balls when you are 6 down, you should be able to end such games as well. So that is the conundrum that India will face before the World Cup. If Kuldeep and Chahal play together, it will come to a situation where Kuldeep has to bat at No.8,” he said.
India can pick another spin-bowling all-rounder in Axar Patel, but with the same bowling option as Jadeja, he may have to sit to make way for Kuldeep or Chahal.
