*IRELAND VS INDIA 2nd T20I IN A 3 MATCH T20I SERIES 2023 PREVIEW*
*THE BUILD UP:*
India were clinical with the bowl last game but there was a spark missing. The Irish lower order fought well to get their team to a respectable total despite losing wickets continuously for the first 10 overs or so. The Indians had done everything correct for the first half of the first innings but ended up losing the plot in the latter half and that was highlighted in the way Arshdeep was assaulted in the final over where he also gave Ireland the momentum with no balls. Led by the impressive display of batting by Barry McCarthy, who walked out at No8, the trouble that Indians have against tailenders who fight was made evident once again(for the nth time) and not only did he gain his countrymen’s respect but also that of the entire cricketing fraternity. Ireland were expected to fold up under a 100 runs when they were at 59/6 at 11 overs but kudos to the effort and the grind put in by the likes of McCarty and Campher who drove their side to something special. While Bumrah experienced a good comeback of sorts by picking up two wickets in the same over and finishing it up nicely at the death, he’d like to see the team gell along better and do better at the death( an aspect of India’s bowling that seemed to have lost the charm).
As we head towards the second T20I with the hope of the rains staying away and not playing spoilsport, making sure that the result isn’t determined by the forces of nature or by DLS, both teams would look to get on top of another in their quest to come out stronger and with power. Ireland came close last game and fell just 2 short on DLS par target and with a step in the positive direction, we could see the hosts levelling the series as well. Gear up for what is expected to be a cracker with India’s young guns at the helm of things and if everything goes well, we may get a chance to see Rinku hold a bat with him wearing the Indian blue
*INDIA PROBABLE XI:*
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah(c), Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi
Ravi Bishnoi, who spins it big like a king and has an unpredictable trajectory showed his class all the way as he bamboozled Stirling and picked up two wickets in total. I’ve been saying it for long, he has always been a key pick yet the management continued to ignore him for a long time. If he stays true to his natural talents, he could become the new Rashid Khan with his fast paced and confusing googlies. On pitches where a little grip is found and against these Irish batters who don’t have the best of games vs spin, Bishnoi could be fatal and he’d be taking inspiration from his performance last game and hoping to deliver again in a similar fashion.
Though Jaiswal and Ruturaj started slow last game, they batted with positivity and conviction. Jaiswal in particular with his cuts and drives looked assured and these are good signs for India with their young crop stepping up and countering good bowlers in away foreign conditions. Jaiswal has always batted with freedom and the license to bat like this from the management only brings about the supreme part of his game. I see him churning out the bowlers today as India look to seal the deal in Dublin.
*IRELAND PROBABLE XI:*
Paul Stirling(c), Andy Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Joshua Little, Benjamin White
With tons of experience backing him up and the fact that he’s at the helm of things- leading this Irish side to a command of respectability, Paul Stirling could be an exciting factor this game. He needs to up his game and deliver the stocks for Ireland in a fixture which gives Ireland the much anticipated chance to bounce back and come on the right side of the result. If the veteran plays out the danger of Bumrah and defends it well vs Bishnoi who castled him last game, he’d have plenty of time to counter the likes of Mukesh Kumar and Arshdeep and get off the blocks. Players like Tucker and Tector who come with a huge rep and potential to outshine others will also be looked at pretty closely. They’ve got a good game vs both spin and pace and over the years, the two have shown it to the world every now and then. Only if they stay patient against the high quality bowling of India can they deliver the goods.
Craig Young was only getting started when he got the better of two Indian batters inside the same over and gave a glimpse of what he could do for the remaining three. Rain was cruel to stop the flow and made us all regret how the game ended but the form that this man showed will make India wonder what needs to be done better in order to counter attack him and give him a fitting punch. He mixed his lengths well and was successful at deceiving the Indians with his surprising accuracy and he would be eager to put in hard yards once again if given the chance to bowl at any stage of the game. His partnership in tandem with the ever impressive left armer Josh Little could be a game changing moment.
*MY PREDICTIONS:*
*FOR IRE:*
Highest run getter- Harry Tector/Paul Stirling
Highest wicket taker- Craig Young/Josh Little
*FOR INDIA:*
Highest run getter- Tilak Verma/Yashasvi Jaiswal
Highest wicket taker- Jasprit Bumrah/Ravi Bishnoi
*FOR THE GAME:*
India to win and seal the series here.