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Hardik to take big call on Samson and Suryakumar: India's likely XI for 4th T20I vs West Indies
India face another must-win situation as they take on West Indies in the fourth T20I in Lauderhill.
Hardik Pandya is not one of those captains who looks back at his decisions, whether successful or not, with regret. He has given enough evidence of that in his short career as India's T20I captain. He always talks about maintaining a process, backing the youngsters instead of worrying about the results. But with India's back against the wall, staring down at a first series defeat to the West Indies in 17 years, his leadership skill is set to go through the sternest test.
He came out with flying colours in the third T20I largely thanks to a breathtaking batting display by Suryakumar Yadav who smashed a 44-ball 83 and young Tilak Varma's unbeaten 49. But India are not out of the woods yet. West Indies are still leading the five-match T20I series 2-1 and India need to keep winning to maintain their stellar record.
For the final two matches of the long series, India and West Indies have travelled to Florida. The Central Broward Park at Fort Lauderdale is known to produce high-scoring matches. The ground is small and the pitch is favourable to the batters. This means a team should keep an extra bowling option which India have been doing for the first three matches in the series but will they do that again? Playing an extra bowler leaves their batting thin.
There is no problem in their top seven but the issues start from No.8. None of their frontline bowlers can bat and that is too long a tail in T20Is. Therefore it might not be a bad idea to drop a wrist spinner, preferably Yuzvendra Chahal for an extra batter. But Hardik has shown no signs to play an extra batter. In fact, he expects his top seven to do the job.
If that is the case then India are unlikely to change their bowling attack of Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar and Arshdeep Singh.
As far as the batting department is concerned, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his debut in the previous match is set to get another opportunity at the top of the order. And if plays then Shubman Gill also will continue to maintain the right and left combination. A promotion for Sanju Samson is likely if India bat first. The Kerala keeper-batter has hardly got time in this T20I series and the remaining two matches could be his last before the Asia Cup squad selection.
All eyes will also be on Tilak Varma, who has taken to international cricket like a duck to water. If he can continue with the work then it will be very difficult to keep him out of the Asia Cup.
India's Predicted XI for 4th T20I vs West Indies
Openers: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal
Top and middle-order: Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel
Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal
Pacers: Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar
