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Afghanistan could use veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi with the new ball in Sunday’s opening T20I against India, according to former India spinner and selector Sarandeep Singh.
Sarandeep feels Afghanistan could use Nabi to target India’s left-handed opening combination, especially if Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to open alongside Abhishek Sharma.
A major talking point ahead of the three-match series has been India’s approach against Afghanistan’s strong spin attack, which includes Nabi, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad. How India deal with them in the powerplay and middle overs could have a big say in the series.
Sarandeep believes Nabi could be brought into the attack as early as the first over if India go with Sooryavanshi and Abhishek.
“I am saying that before Rashid Khan as well, if Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma play as openers, it is possible that Mohammad Nabi can be seen bowling in the first over. That can be a strategy or plan from them, as he’s an off-spinner and he will definitely be given a chance. We saw in the T20 World Cup, which we won, Abhishek Sharma was having a tough time in the beginning,” Sarandeep told IANS in a select virtual interaction organised by FanCode, the official digital broadcasters of the three-game series.
Abhishek Could Be Targeted By Afghanistan Spinners
Sarandeep also recalled Abhishek’s struggles against off-spin during this year’s T20 World Cup. He feels Afghanistan could try to use their spin options in a similar way against the Indian opener.
“Everyone began bowling off-spin to him and were able to get Abhishek Sharma out often. But I feel both of them will start hitting from the very first ball. Ishan Kishan will fare sensibly against them, but I think more than Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi will play a role, especially if he bowls with the new ball.
“We will have to see if Rashid Khan has a strategy or plan to counter them, as he has been playing IPL for so many years. He has played a lot on Indian soil and has shared the dressing room with the Indian players and has got to know each other very well. I think we will see them with a great bowling plan for him tomorrow. There is no doubt that Nabi will bowl the first over against both those openers.”
Afghanistan’s T20 Experience A Big Threat
Sarandeep feels Afghanistan’s experience in different T20 leagues around the world makes them a dangerous opponent for Shreyas Iyer’s India.
The former spinner pointed towards their experienced spin attack, strong middle order and players who regularly feature in major T20 competitions.
“I said the same thing a while ago. Their spin bowling attack, 6-7 players in the middle order, pacers and batters play T20 cricket worldwide. They play in big leagues and have a great experience of playing T20s. Rashid Khan will definitely play a big role in bowling against the Indian middle order.
Sarandeep Picks India’s Spin Combination
With the first T20I being played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Sarandeep expects the series to produce plenty of runs.
He also feels India should rely on Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel as their main spin options.
“The way Delhi Premier League games happened sometime ago and how Arun Jaitley Stadium wickets usually behave, it supports a lot of batting. We have seen big runs coming off the pitches in the T20 World Cup and domestic season. As far as spinners are concerned, India always likes to go with the all-rounders.
“Ravi Bishnoi was in the scheme of things, but was not able to perform as well. Varun Chakaravarthy is a regular spinner; Washington Sundar and Axar Patel can bat and bowl as well. I feel it will be a good combination for India, as there should be variations as well. There should be a left-arm spinner and an off-spinner, and India will definitely go with them,” he added.
Bumrah’s Return A Big Boost For India
Sarandeep also spoke highly of Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the Indian team after recovering from his left knee injury.
He recalled seeing the fast bowler during his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and said Bumrah looked fully fit during his training and match simulations.
“It is a big advantage for India to have Bumrah back because you get a confidence boost. I was taking a high-performance camp at the Centre of Excellence and was even there with the North Zone team as their coach in the Duleep Trophy games. I saw Bumrah doing his fitness work there.
“He was becoming fully fit and was bowling his heart out. Whenever he comes, he bowls his heart out. He never plays if he is not fit, as he comes back when he is fully fit. He fared well in the Centre of Excellence practice games and played well in the match simulations and looked fully fit. I was meeting him there every day. Bumrah being fully fit and his arrival in the Indian team is a big boost for us as other fast bowlers start looking better.”
Yash Thakur Gets Chance After Harshit Rana’s Injury
With Harshit Rana ruled out of the series due to a fresh thigh strain, Sarandeep backed Yash Thakur to make the most of his opportunity.
The Nagpur-based pacer has already made his T20I debut, playing two games against Zimbabwe in July. Sarandeep also pointed to his performances in domestic cricket and the IPL as reasons behind his selection.
“Yash Thakur had a very good time with Punjab Kings in the IPL, but when Vidarbha won the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he played really well. He has been performing well in domestic cricket over the past 2-3 years and has earned the opportunity as a result.
“He performed well in Sri Lanka in the ‘A’ games and then in the Zimbabwe tour. He got a chance here because Harshit is currently unfit. Hopefully, he can make his place here in the Indian team. We have a lot of injury concerns. The advantage here is that the fast bowler who is fit will get more opportunities.”
Shreyas Iyer Faces Tactical Challenge
Sarandeep also discussed Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy. India have won only three of their 10 games since Iyer took charge, and the former selector believes the captain will need to make the right calls during different stages of the match.
Managing the bowling options could be particularly important, with Harshit unavailable and Nitish Reddy returning from injury.
“In T20, it’s really difficult to tell which areas he should improve because the game ends so soon that you don’t know when it began. But there are some crucial points regarding the situation of the game like the bowling changes which are very important. Should the spinners be in the circle or not?
“Also, who will bowl your final bowlers as Harshit Rana is not there now to do that and Yash Thakur has come in. Nitish Reddy is coming back after injury and where he fits in is important. Then, making crucial bowling changes at the right time is very important. Your batting line-up is set and you have all the batting orders. But when you go to the field, you have to know who will bowl at what phase of the game.
Bumrah May Need Time To Find His Rhythm
Sarandeep also warned that Bumrah may need some time before he gets back to his best after his injury.
He feels India’s other bowlers will have to step up if the star pacer does not immediately start taking wickets.
“Even we know Jasprit Bumrah is one of the world’s finest fast bowlers in all three formats, but still he is coming after his injury. So it might take some time for him to get into a rhythm, because we expect Jasprit Bumrah to come and start taking our wickets. But he still needs time, as he’s coming back from his injury.
“So it might be possible that Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t take wickets at the start, but your other bowlers should be ready and Yash Thakur should also do well. You already have Ashdeep Singh who always comes and takes wickets for you. The main thing is how you rotate Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel. They have so much experience and won so many matches for you. So how to rotate these three spinners will be a very big challenge for Shreyas Iyer,” he concluded.