IND v SL | India start as favourites, but have to find balanced bowling attack, says Harsha Bhogle
Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle believes that though India start as favourites in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, they have to find a balanced bowling attack. Despite his recent run of poor scores, Bhogle is keeping an open mind on the returning opener Shikhar Dhawan.
When players of the stature of Dhawan and India’s #1 bowler Jasprit Bumrah return to the squad, it gives the skipper Virat Kohli a more relaxed approach to each game. But, as they run into a Sri Lankan side, who had beaten Pakistan 3-0 away a few months back, the Men in Blue have a few things to sort out before the first T20I at Guwahati.
“I think India start as favourites. The numbers are overwhelmingly in India’s favour. But this is T20 cricket, so you can’t tell. India have got to get their spin bowling combination right. I suspect that, at the moment, it is the inability of the bowlers to bat that is dictating who plays. Jadeja and Washington Sundar play themselves because you need batting at No.7 and 8, but that means only one wrist spinner can play, and sometimes not even one, if you want to play three seamers,” Bhogle said in the ‘Voice of Cricket’ segment on Cricbuzz.
However, the two big factors in India’s quest to continue their form in white-ball cricket will be the reintegration of an out-of-form Dhawan and a premier bowler coming off a back injury.
“The biggest issue facing India is the return of Shikhar Dhawan. But every time you think we’ve seen the last of him, maybe it is time to cast Dhawan aside, he comes back strongly. So an open mind on Shikhar Dhawan because he’s been a really good white-ball player for India. But, I do sense that these three games are crucial to his future in T20 cricket for India,” Bhogle said.
On the other hand, Kohli will finally have his #1 bowler back after four months, but Bhogle has warned India of using him too much too soon.
“The other big thing, of course, is that Bumrah is back. I suspect that, at few times, in the last few months, Virat Kohli looked around wishing that he had Bumrah to throw the ball to, especially with Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s injury rendering him a little off colour. Yes, Deepak Chahar has made a wonderful debut, Shardul Thakur has had his moments, but Bumrah is in a different league,” he said.
“I’m actually quite happy they pulled him out of four-day cricket because you don’t want him to bowl too much too soon. But that’s the other big factor. The return of Bumrah and what it does to the other end overs bowling."
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