When India take on Ireland in the second and final T20I here on Tuesday, they will expect clear weather and better performances from rookie players like Umran Malik. Rain restricted the opening match of the series to 12 overs and it could be another short game considering the disappointing forecast for match day.
Indian bowlers will be wary of Tector’s threat. The Irish batsman garnered a lot of attention with his fearless game in the first T20 when his team found themselves in a lot of trouble.
Some of the shots played by him were appreciated by the Indian players as well. Another explosive knock against the powerhouse of the game could help Tector bag a life-changing IPL contract.
“Some of the shots he played were mind-blowing,” Hardik said after the seven-wicket win.
what: India vs Ireland, 2Ra T20
When: Tuesday, June 28
Where: Village, Dublin
Time: 09:00 PM IST
Team News: India
Ruturaj Gaikwad did not come out to bat on Sunday with a calf injury and could be the only change in the playing XI if the opener is not fully fit. With the team going full swing in the T20Is against England next month, the final against Ireland gives the young players another chance to show what they are capable of.
Fast bowler Umran Malik will be among those desperate to make an impact. It is not fair to judge him on the basis of the overs he bowled on Sunday, but he was everywhere, showing that nerves got the better of him.
It was the sixth over of the innings, the ball was relatively new and 22-year-old Harry Tector made full use of Malik’s extra pace. Captain Hardik Pandya has already expressed that while Malik is better off bowling with the old ball, he is brought into the game only after the powerplays. Bhuvneshwar Kumar can again create trouble for the Ireland batsmen as the conditions allow them to swing the ball both ways. Avesh Khan’s performance in the death overs was not good and he will be looking for a better performance.
Hardik and Hooda, who did well as a temporary opener in Gaikwad’s absence, targeted off-spinner Andy McBrine in the over for 21 runs. After being given a harsh lesson, McBrine will look for ways to stop the right-handers.
Suryakumar Yadav’s return to international cricket from injury lasted only one ball and he will be aiming to get back to his consistent form.
Team News: Ireland
Ireland will win a lot of hearts with the way they come back with the bat, but their bowlers will need to step up their game against a strong batting line-up.
The pacer could not find the right length at the start of the innings, giving the Indians easy boundaries.
Craig Young got the ball to swing and seam and his fellow pacers would be inspired to do better against the mighty Indians. It is not every day that he gets a chance to play with a team like India and he is eager to make the most of the opportunity.
Squad:
India: Hardik Pandya (captain), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh , Umran Malik.
Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Camper, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olfert, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
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