India vs Pakistan: Focus on top-order approach

India will look for a “Sunday Encore” against Pakistan in the Asia Cup “Super 4s” match. The renowned top-order will be anxious for a course correction, and the bowling attack may be changed. Avesh Khan’s lack of expertise at the death is just as concerning as the top-Powerplay order’s mentality, as the team management may […]

India will look for a “Sunday Encore” against Pakistan in the Asia Cup “Super 4s” match. The renowned top-order will be anxious for a course correction, and the bowling attack may be changed.

Avesh Khan’s lack of expertise at the death is just as concerning as the top-Powerplay order’s mentality, as the team management may need to change the bowling attack in order to compete with a potent Pakistani squad that just destroyed Hong Kong by more than 150 runs.

Axar Patel appears like a natural substitute for Ravindra Jadeja, who isn’t available for this match, but the Saurashtra all-absence rounders hurt the team’s combination.

In order to maintain the left-right combination in the top six against Pakistan, head coach Rahul Dravid moved Jadeja up to number four and benched Rishabh Pant.

On Sunday, it is uncertain whether Rohit Sharma and Dravid would take another chance. But it won’t be overstating things to claim that the only player from Roorkee who can meet the need for a pure left-handed hitter in the top six is him.

Rohit would anticipate that the intensity of the game is maintained at the same level as it was last Sunday when India won in an exciting final-over finish thanks to Hardik Pandya’s one-man performance.

The top-cautious order’s attitude in the Powerplay overs is one example of the Indian team’s fragile underbelly, despite the talent minefield that surrounds them.
When facing the Pakistani onslaught, neither Virat Kohli nor Rohit appeared to be at ease, and when the pitch slowed down, their issues seemed to have become worse.

With an out-of-rhythm KL Rahul playing his slowest ever innings (36 off 39 balls), India was on the verge of a disastrous batting performance against tiny Hong Kong. Suryakumar Yadav’s pure brilliance saved India.
Since it is now obvious that the trio of Rahul, Rohit, and Kohli isn’t performing well for the team, it is important to ask if India will reshuffle their top order and add some firepower.

Deepak Hooda as a batting all-rounder or Ravichandran Ashwin as a bowling all-rounder might be utilised in place of Axar’s constrictive bowling.

Fakhar Zaman and Khushdil Shah, two left-handed batsmen in the top six, make it possible for an off-spinner to take the ball away, complementing Bhuvneshwar and Hardik’s hard-throwing bowling.
Overall, another Super Sunday may be in the works as the two hostile neighbours prepare for battle.

Squads

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, and Avesh Khan are the players for India.

Read more: India Vs Pak: Pandaya sweeps Pak with finishing shot; India Beat Pakistan By 5 Wickets