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Rediff.com  » Cricket » Select Team: Will India bring in Umran?

Select Team: Will India bring in Umran?

By HARISH KOTIAN
June 14, 2022 06:34 IST
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IMAGE: India could bring in Umran Malik for the must-win third T20 International against South Africa on Tuesday. Photograph: BCCI
 

A desperate India face a must-win game against South Africa in the third T20 International as they seek to stay alive in the five-match series, in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

India trail 0-2 in the five-match series after losing the first two matches in Delhi and Cuttack.

While the bowlers were a letdown in the first T20, the batsmen failed to live up to expectations in the second match.

Captain Rishabh Pant and Head Coach Rahul Dravid will ponder a few changes to the playing XI as they seek to stay alive in the series.

Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn't made most of the opportunities in the first two games, but in the absence of another opener in the squad could see him retain his place unless the team management decides to gamble with Deepak Hooda as opener who could also send down a few overs of part-time spin.

Hooda excelled with the bat in IPL 2022, but it is difficult for him to find a place in the middle order. No 3 Shreyas Iyer has scored 76 runs in the first two games, while Pant and his deputy Hardik Pandya are assured of their places no matter what.

Dinesh Karthik made an impact with a quickfire 30 from 21 balls in the second match even though the team management made a strange decision to send Axar Patel ahead of him at No 6.

In the bowling department, India's spinners had another poor outing at Cuttack. Yuzvendra Chahal was expensive with 1/49 in four overs and was hit for three sixes in a single over by Heinrich Klaasen. The other spinner Axar Patel bowled just one over in which he was hit for 19 runs.

Chahal has conceded 75 runs in six overs in the two games while Axar has been hit for 59 runs in five overs.

Will India included young leggie Ravi Bishnoi in place of either Chahal or Axar for Tuesday's game?

All-rounder Hardik Pandya's struggles with the ball in the first two games has put pressure on the bowlers and he will need to get back to his best form.

Among the pacers, India could bring in some young energy in the form of Umran Malik or Arshdeep Singh in place of either Avesh Khan or Harshal Patel.

Senior pro Bhuvneshwar Kumar was superb with the ball in the second match with sensational figures of 4/13 in four overs.

India retained the same playing for the second match despite losing the first game but after two successive losses, the time has come to make a few changes and go in with a fresh approach.

Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for Tuesday's third T20I against South Africa?

Please select your team from the list below and do post your playing XI in the message board below:

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HARISH KOTIAN / Rediff.com

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