CHENNAI: As Ajinkya Rahane holed out to Punjab Kings’ Rilee Russouw off Harpreet Brar in the eight over and took the long walk back at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday evening, Chennai Super Kings did something they don’t always do.
The home team sent out Shivam Dube, their designated spin-hitter, at No. 3. Usually, they promote Ravindra Jadeja, but here, on a red soil pitch, they knew spinners would do well and wanted Dube to make an impact. While the left-hander might have gotten out for a first-ball duck, the significant point to note here is that CSK had the option and the luxury of using it as an entry point for Dube.
Come the T20 World Cup next month, what will the Indian team do in such a situation? As the BCCI announced their 15-member squad on Tuesday, it is a question that remains. Yes, Dube has made the squad, but he might not necessarily start.
Unless they opt to play both Axar Patel and Jadeja, India are likely to have the latter at No. 7 followed by their four bowlers. And it unfortunately leaves them where they were a year ago. Rishabh Pant at No. 5, Hardik Pandya at 6 and then comes Jadeja who has batted only twice in T20Is since last the WC.
Now, this middle-order (accounting 5-7 because Suryakumar Yadav is fixed at 4) has not given much success, especially when under pressure. To put this into context, India’s No. 5-7 operated at an average of 30.3 while striking at 147.8 between 2021 and the 2022 T20 World Cups. Their leading finisher in that phase was Pandya (37.45 and 149.27). Dinesh Karthik, who was used as a designated finisher, comes next on the list.
In the year since the 2022 T20 WC, the numbers do not look very different. The No. 5-7 have operated at an average of 28.9 while striking at 144.5 but with the transition they tried to implement before going back, not many batters have had the opportunity to stand out. Except one — Rinku Singh. In 11 batting innings, Rinku has hit 356 runs (the highest among India’s No. 5-7; 89 and 176.23).
But he does not have a place in the 15-member squad. Hardik comes next on the list, but his 114.9 doesn’t look good. Axar has a SR of 157.02, and Dube, in the three matches, has an SR of 134.28, but both might not necessarily start. And if they do start, the team management would be expecting Jadeja, one of Axar/Dube, and Hardik to complete eight overs.
While it is not necessarily clear how the conditions will be in the USA, strips may be on the slower side in the West Indies. And with the top five fixed — Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar and Pant — it becomes all the more harder for India to be flexible or take down a specific bowling type if an opportunity presents like Chennai identified on Wednesday. Pant, who has come back from a life-threatening injury, has proven himself in the IPL, but he bats in the top four for Delhi Capitals.
Sanju Samson, the other wicketkeeper-batter who can smash spinners, also bats in the top three in the IPL. Perhaps, the only player who has a designated role as finisher is Rinku but he is in the reserves. At a time when teams are as flexible as possible with match-ups in the shortest format, India might not have given themselves the best chance by leaving him out.
Not all is over though. Teams still have an option of making changes to their squads till May 25. Whether India will bring back Rinku in place of someone is yet to be seen (for what it’s worth, they have exercised this option before). For now, there are many questions, some of which might be answered at the press conference in Mumbai on Thursday.