It has been a disappointing year for India in the shortest format but they have a positive record against in-form West Indies
Sruthi Ravindranath14-Dec-20242:52
Harmanpreet: Australia series was learning experience for young bowlers
Can India end their gloomy T20 year on a high?Despite winning 13 out of 20 T20Is they’ve played so far this year, it’s been a disappointing year for India in the format. After starting the year with a series loss to Australia in Navi Mumbai, India bounced back with a dominating 5-0 win against Bangladesh away. In July, they went unbeaten into the final of the Asia Cup but suffered a heartbreaking loss to Sri Lanka. The heartbreak continued in the T20 World Cup in October when they were knocked out in the group stage after losses against New Zealand and Australia. The next World Cup, in the ODI format, is set to take place next year in India, but this T20I series is not without context, especially for the hosts. It is a chance for them to rethink their approach in T20Is, especially in crunch games, and also start building their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup in England.Related
India drop Reddy; Kashyap, Bist, Rawal get maiden call-ups
WPL 2025 auction: Dottin, Bell, Bist and others to watch out for
Harmanpreet points to players' 'mindset' for India losing big games
WI’s chance to improve their record vs IndiaWhile West Indies arrived in Navi Mumbai a week early to acclimatise, India have been dealt with a rough schedule. They have barely had time to prepare after finishing the ODI series in Australia, which finished on December 11, and took a day off on Friday to rest it out. That they lost 3-0 to Australia in that series also doesn’t help their case. West Indies will want to use this opportunity to improve their record against India.The results between these two sides have been one-sided, with West Indies losing 13 out of the 21 matches they have played against India. In fact, West Indies have lost their last eight games against India. But an overall improved form this year, where they have won six out of their last eight T20Is and also made the semi-final of the T20 World Cup, will add to their confidence.”We’ve been working really hard and been really focused on our game and what we can improve,” West Indies captain Hayley Matthews said on the eve of the first T20I. “Coming up against a team like India, we know it is going to be a tough assignment. But we have been playing some really positive cricket over the last year and back ourselves to hopefully go out there and be able to change things around a bit.”Harmanpreet Kaur keeps an eye on proceedings•PTI Are India too dependent on their Big Two?Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur are among the top three for most T20I runs in India this year. That Mandhana and Harmanpreet were the top run-scorers in the Asia Cup final and the T20 World Cup match against Australia, respectively, highlights India’s dependence on the duo. India have also lacked firepower in the middle order, with the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma and D Hemalatha (dropped for this series) struggling to score consistently. Rodrigues, Deepti, Mandhana, Yastika and Hemalatha also played in the recently concluded WBBL but none of them had great returns.Selection questionsIndia have dropped Arundhati Reddy and Shafali Verma from both ODI and T20I squads. When asked about the reason behind it, Harmanpreet said the question should be directed to the “right people”.Reddy was the joint-highest wicket-taker for India at the T20 World Cup. Shafali, who was dropped for the Australia ODIs as well, has been racking up the runs in the domestic one-day tournament where she’s currently the highest run-scorer for Haryana and second-highest overall with 330 runs in six games with one century and two fifties. She even took three wickets with her offspin in Saturday’s match against Vidarbha to go with her 68 off 39 with the bat.There’s also been plenty of chopping and changing. Hemalatha, who played eight matches, has been dropped from this series. Amanjot Kaur, who last played in the Australia T20Is earlier this year, has not found a spot since. Uma Chetry has been travelling with the team since her call-up for the South Africa series in July but has played just four T20Is so far.The likes of Priya Mishra, Saima Thakor, Minnu Mani and Titas Sadhu have also been named in the T20I squad as well, but whether they will get their chance to play remains a question. Seamer Thakor, who had a breakthrough WPL 2024, may earn her T20I cap and take Reddy’s place having already played six ODIs. India have also handed maiden call-ups to Uttarakhand batters Nandini Kashyap and Raghvi Bist. Both players are known for their big-hitting abilities and are coming off good domestic seasons, and India might want to try them out as they look for fresh faces to build for the next T20 World Cup.Deandra Dottin has been a key figure for West Indies since her international return•Getty ImagesThe Dottin impact for WIWest Indies have hugely benefited from Deandra Dottin’s return to internationals. She was their top run-scorer at the T20 World Cup, scoring at a strike rate of 162.16 and hitting most sixes (9) in the tournament. She singlehandedly threatened to take the semi-final away from New Zealand, first taking four wickets and then scoring 33 off 22 in the chase. Her wicket was the turning point in the game as West Indies lost by eight runs.She has also had success with the ball, highlighted by her recent performances in the WBBL, where she finished with ten wickets in Melbourne Renegades’ title run. Matthews has been excellent as an opener, but West Indies rely on Dottin’s power game for quick runs in the middle and death overs.”She is an impact player on the whole,” Matthews said of Dottin. “She is obviously a very dangerous player out on the field. When you speak about something in T20 cricket, what’s very important is boundary-hitting and six-hitting and there are probably not many people in the world that can strike a cricket ball like her. So it’s just been great to have her back. She has really enjoyed being back in the group, and I think everyone is taking her in well again. It has just been good to have it back on and off the field.”
