After run-fests, India’s stung bowling attack seek redemption against WI in dead rubber

India’s under-fire bowling unit faces a stern test of redemption when they take on the West Indies in the third and final ODI at the New PCA Stadium on Saturday.

Although the hosts hold an unassailable 2-0 lead, thus making Saturday’s game a dead rubber, the narrative surrounding the series has been dominated by excessively batter-friendly pitches in Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati, where a whopping 811 runs were yielded. It prompted India head coach Gautam Gambhir to publicly call for a more even contest between bat and ball.

While top-order batters have flourished, India’s new-ball bowling attack has floundered, as seen from them picking just one wicket across the opening 10 overs of the first two matches while conceding 177 runs in the mandatory power-play phase.

Veteran left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also under increasing pressure to deliver good showing with the ball, especially with the ODI World Cup now exactly a year away.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has lacked support in the middle overs, thus putting the spotlight firmly on Jadeja, who has managed to take only three wickets in his last eight ODI appearances.

In stark contrast, captain Shubman Gill has dominated with the bat – hitting an unbeaten 223, the second double ton in his ODI career, to secure a record-breaking chase of 406, after hitting a dazzling century in Thiruvananthapuram. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have also dazzled, and one will hope that the duo along with local lad Gill will shine once more.

India’s bowling make-up for Saturday’s clash presents further complications. Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out with a left hamstring injury, with uncapped Anshul Kamboj drafted into the squad as replacement. Pacer Mohammed Siraj could return to the XI after sitting out the first two matches. But Siraj has struggled for rhythm since the Test tour of Sri Lanka, and took just one wicket from 41 overs in the Duleep Trophy final held last month. With Jasprit Bumrah rested and the likes of Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi still newbies in the national team set-up, Saturday’s match offers a crucial testing ground for India’s back-up bowling options.

India’s bowlers have leaked runs due to poor execution of plans, and young batting all-rounder Naman Dhir said the side is working on better plans ahead of the third and final ODI

“As a bowling unit, yes, we would like to do better and try to stop the West Indies to a lower total. If you see, that wicket was also good, and the ground’s dimensions on one side were small. Yes, we leaked more runs and could have gone with better plans. But bounce will be more in South Africa, and it will help the fast bowlers there,” said Dhir in the pre-match press conference.

For the West Indies, despite losing the series, opener John Campbell and captain Shai Hope have provided solid platforms. The visitors, who may still not have Justin Greaves due to a calf injury picked while hitting 101 in Thiruvananthapuram, will rely on middle-order power-hitters Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase and Keemo Paul to convert those starts as they look to avoid a 3-0 series defeat.

Pay cuts hurt team morale, says Sammy: West Indies head coach Daren Sammy expressed his dismay over the proposed 25 percent pay cuts in central contracts by Cricket West Indies (CWI), adding that such off-field developments on the eve of a major series do little to boost the squad’s morale.

“I mean, look, as a professional, that’s not what you want to hear before a series. Before the pay cuts, I said, there is no better time to play India. You win against the best team, you get some leverage, not only for the West Indies as a whole, but for you personally.

“Performing against India pays you back down the road. We try our best to put that there. I commend the guys for the way they put their heads down. Yes, the results have not gone (our way). But we keep improving in certain areas,” said Sammy in the pre-match press conference, on the eve of the third ODI against India.

Evaluating the team’s progress on the ODI leg of the tour, Sammy praised the aggressive approach of his top-order batters, even as the bowling unit has struggled.

Indo-Asian News Service