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For the first three Twenty20 Internationals, it has
rained nonstop. With 123 fours and 65 sixes struck so far, batters have
transformed bowlers into bowling robots. As the teams prepare to play their
fourth Twenty20 international in Raipur, expect more of the same.
The news that Glenn Maxwell has finally left India,
where he gave yet another incredible performance in Guwahati that has sustained
the series, will come as some relief. The series now rests with the eclectic
collection of replacements thrown into Australia’s fatigued squad, and with the
long-term goal of qualifying for the 2024 T20 World Cup, some experimentation
may be in order.
It will be a chance for India’s bowlers to bounce back
after the Maxwell thrashing. Although Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi have created
powerful opening spells, moisture has neutralised their impact later on. The
seamers have frequently gone for plenty while missing their lengths, Arshdeep
Singh and Prasidh Krishna in particular. Recently recruited in Deepak Chahar
and Mukesh Kumar, fresh from his wedding, could bridge some of India’s gaps in
the death and powerplay. Following his struggles with just five choices in his
most recent outing as stand-in captain, Suryakumar Yadav, they would also be
tempted to bring in a legitimate sixth bowler.
With his new-ball control and his height, Jason
Behrendorff has always been an X-factor in a series that has historically been
a graveyard for fast bowlers. With pitches that go across, he has tempted the
right-handers and cramped the left-handers in India. He scored 17 dots in a
spell of 1 for 12 in Guwahati as a result of the odd swinging ball that has
made the right-handers cautious. He had given up just 25 runs in the opening
Twenty20 International, and his four overs will be vital if Australia is to tie
the series.
At the other end of the scale is Prasidh Krishna, who
was regarded as the greatest fast-bowling alternative after India’s
first-choice seam-bowling trio just before the World Cup. He has been the most
experienced fast bowler in the XI for the first three games, but following an
economy of over 13 in the T20I series, he will need to dredge up some more runs
to stave off the rampaging batsmen.