India convincingly claimed their T20I series against West Indies 3-0 to go alongside their ODI series victory by the same margin against the same opponents. Here are five major takeaways from the whitewash by the Men in Blue.
The middle order is finally looking settled
The middle order rose to the occasion in all three matches. In recent years, India’s success in the white-ball format has been dependent on the form of the top order so the impressive form of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Venkatesh Iyer is a huge positive.
In all three games, India found themselves in a tricky position only for the middle order to bail the side out. In the first T20I, India were reduced to 114-4, losing four wickets for 21 runs, and needing 158 for the win. Yadav and Iyer got together and put on 48 runs from 28 balls to take their side over the line.
In the second match, Pant was at the forefront, scoring 52 in 28 balls after India were 106-4 after 13.4 overs. Pant and Iyer put on 76 from 35 balls to help India post over 180. In the series finale, the Men in Blue were in a spot of bother at 93-4, but Yadav and Iyer combined to make 91 from 37 balls to take India to a match-winning score.
The emergence of Ravi Bishnoi
India have played as many as 11 spinners in T20Is in the last three years, including giving Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar, bowlers who enjoyed great success in the IPL, a go. However, none have managed to nail down a spot in the first choice XI. The emergence of Ravi Bishnoi proved to be one of the biggest positives of the series and suggested that he may become a longterm occupant of the lead spinner’s berth. Making his debut in the first T20I, the youngster was impressive throughout, ending with match figures of 2-17, 1-30 and 0-20 respectively in the three games.
Bishnoi remain unfazed despite bowling to big-hitters Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell in the middle overs.
Harshal Patel carries on his IPL success
The development of Harshal Patel into a lethally effective death bowler remained one of the highlights of IPL 2021, and the RCB bowler has also managed to impress in pressure situations for India. In all three games, Patel came on to bowl in crucial moments and got the job done. In the first T20I, he conceded 20 runs across two overs at the death while also picking up the wickets of Pooran and Odean Smith. He was expensive in the second game, going for 46 off four overs, but bowled an important 18th over when West Indies needed 38 off the last three overs, conceding only eight runs.
In the third T20I, Patel’s last two overs cost 17 runs while also claiming the wicket of Romario Shepherd. Overall, Patel ended the series as India’s highest wicket-taker, picking up five wickets at an average of 21 and a strike rate of 14.4.
Venkatesh Iyer stars as a finisher
Following the injury to Hardik Pandya, India were desperately on the lookout for a seam bowling all-rounder. Iyer, who impressed as an opener in IPL 2021, was given the finishing role with the bat, and he did not disappoint. Iyer has now played six T20Is thus far, scoring 128 runs at an average of 42.66 and a strike rate of 164.10. He has batted at a rate of over 180 four times in his career and struck at over 180 in all three T20Is against West Indies. He ended the series with knocks of 24* in 13, 33 in 18 and 35* in 19 balls.
Iyer has also proven to be a handy bowler – though possibly not a frontline one at this point in this career – and picked up two wickets in the final T20I, including getting the big wicket of Kieron Pollard. His presence not only increases the firepower in the middle order but also lends balance to the XI, giving India an additional bowling option.
Who is the backup opener?
With KL Rahul rested for the series, Ishan Kishan was given the opportunity to open the innings. However, he was unable to make the most of his chances, scoring 71 runs in three innings at an average of 23.66. What was more worrying was his strike rate of 85.54. The left-hander was often troubled by pace upfront, which might be a cause of worry for the India side considering the next T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Australia.
Ruturaj Gaikwad opened the innings in the third match but managed four from eight deliveries. However, despite his IPL successes, 50 over cricket seems likely to be his best format. Prithvi Shaw is another youngster who is lurking in the horizon, and having a player who could go after the bowler from the start could be something that India explore ahead of the World Cup.
