IND vs WI | 2nd T20I Evaluation Chart - Masterful Windies hand Virat Kohli & co. T20 lesson

IND vs WI | 2nd T20I Evaluation Chart - Masterful Windies hand Virat Kohli & co. T20 lesson

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BCCI

It was not-so-green for team India at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, as the hosts were handed an eight-wicket drubbing by the visitors. India's kryptonite Lendl Simmons haunted them yet again as he struck a sublime 67* to help the Windies level the series.

Match Review

From the outset, it did look like it was the Windies who had won the first T20I as they were the ones who entered the game with all the energy. The Indian openers looked dull from the word go, and for a long while, even the surprise promotion of Shivam Dube to No.3 wasn’t able to spark things up. With Rahul unable to replicate his first T20I heroics and with Rohit’s horror run in T20Is continuing, it wasn’t until a Kieron Pollard over - where Dube teed off and hit three sixes - that the team got going. However, the joy was short-lived and everything came crashing down for the hosts after Dube’s dismissal. Kohli’s uncharacteristic failure hurt them big time and despite Pant’s lower-order cameo, they could only manage to post 170, a sub-par score on a good track, batting first. 

In reply, the Windies executed their plan to perfection as they treaded cautiously with the new-ball before unloading on the Indian bowlers, as the dew started setting in. India’s dismal fielding efforts too lend them a helping hand as both Lewis and Simmons were handed lives early on in the innings. Eventually, an unbeaten 67 from Simmons and cameos from Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran ensured that the visitors coasted home with 9 balls to spare.

Turning Point 

Undoubtedly, Shivam Dube’s dismissal is what turned the match around in the Windies’ favour. India were flying high at 97-2 in 10.2 overs prior to his dismissal and post his dismissal, they only added just 73 runs in the next 53 balls that followed. 170 was never going to be enough in this belter of a wicket, especially due to the dew factor, and in retrospect, they’d lost the game even before the bowlers had a chance to defend the total.  

Highs and Lows 

If the 3rd T20I versus Bangladesh was the game where Dube announced himself as a bowler, then today was the arrival of Dube the batsman. The way he clobbered Pollard for three consecutive sixes - after the Windies skipper stirred him up - was a sight in itself, and dare I say, the start of something special. 

When a player is visibly struggling, you would like to see the crowd lend him all the support he needs, but sadly with the Indian crowd, that’s not the case. There were thunderous cheers after Rishabh Pant dropped a sitter and that very moment was disgraceful and condemnable, to say the least. What ever happened to the ‘country over players’ mantra?

Rating Charts

Powerplay exploitation: - India (7/10) and West Indies (7/10)

Coming on the back of such an emphatic win, India’s approach in the powerplay was underwhelming. Shivam Dube’s promotion after Rahul’s dismissal was weird and at the end of the powerplay, none of the top 3 batters had a SR over 112. The intent shown - only 4 boundaries off the bat - was confounding and if anything, their score (42/1) was propelled by some substandard bowling.

The approach of the Windies openers versus the new ball - that of not losing wickets - looked crystal clear from ball one. The score was a mere 26 after 5 overs and it wasn’t until the sixth over - where Lewis teed off against Sundar - that they started to get a move on. Eventually, they ended the powerplay with the score reading 41/0, achieving their target of not losing a wicket, but chasing a target of 171, they could, and should, have been more proactive up top.  

Death Bowling: - West Indies (9/10) and India (3/10)

In short, it was a masterful display of death bowling by the Windies bowlers. They conceded JUST 26 runs in the last five overs and the trio of Hayden Walsh - Kesrick Williams - Sheldon Cottrell strangled the Indian batters with their subtle variations, more often than not depriving them of pace. They conceded just one boundary in the last five overs and did a phenomenal job of pulling things back. 

To be honest, by the time the ‘death overs’ came about, the match was already over. Dew started playing its hand and every alternate delivery, the bowlers saw the ball sail over their heads. However, the way they surrendered without any effort was disappointing to see, and maybe, just maybe, we’re just beginning to see why Jasprit Bumrah is so crucial to this otherwise swing-reliant pace attack. 

Ground Fielding and Catching: -  West Indies (7.5/10) and India (3/10)

Bar Pollard’s uncharacteristic and bizarre misjudgement off the bowling of Hayden Walsh which gave Dube a short-lived life, the visitors were right on the money with their fielding. Catches weren’t spilt nor were overthrows conceded and despite them not inflicting a run-out, they kept the Indian batsmen in check with their speed and agility. Guess I’ve to dock some points for that Pollard goof up, though.  

What exactly has happened to this Indian team? The way they’ve fielded since the start of the Bangladesh series has been mortifying and if anything, they’ve fielded more like their noisy neighbours on the other side of the border. The two drops - by Sundar and Pant - in the space of three balls was bad enough, but Ravindra Jadeja’s misfield (!!!) that led to a boundary on the third ball of the ninth over kind of summed up their evening. Even Kohli’s wonder-catch wasn’t enough to salvage some points. 

Spectator Rating Meter - Good

In comparison to the first T20I, the entertainment that was dished out to the crowd was very subdued, but nevertheless, the way the likes of Dube, Simmons, Hetmyer and Pooran were smacking the ball was a sight in itself. Indian fans sure would not have enjoyed it, but as a neutral, it was pretty fun! 

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