Team India topped group A to progress to the Super 8 in T20 World Cup 2026. But then, one of the biggest concerns emerging out of the 4 matches that Surya & Co. played, and won, has to be the batters’ ability to tackle spin. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate acknowledged the issue.
Spin troubles mount for Team India
Just to get into the numbers, the team has faced 42 overs of spin where they have scored 315 runs only, with a run rate just over 7. And in the process they have lost 15 wickets too. In the Pakistan match, Usman Tariq and Saim Ayub were tough to deal with, and spinners from USA and Namibia too troubled us. On Wednesday, Netherland spinners, especially Aryan Dutt too make the Indian batters struggle.
“The Dutch guys took pace off the ball a lot of the time. And obviously teams are bowling a lot of finger spin to us with having so many left-handers in our line-up. That is a challenge,” ten Doeschate said in the mixed zone. “It has (lefties have made it easier for opposition). We don’t have many options. We’ve got Sanju sitting on the side.”
Super 8 could pose further challenge
India kickoff their Super 8 campaign against South Africa on Feb 22, and they have the likes of Aiden Markram, George Linder, and Keshav Maharaj. Zimbabwe then have Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl. West Indies have Gudakesh Motie.
“I’d say finger spin. If you take the combined, I think Pakistan bowled 14 overs of finger spin in the last game and off the top of my head I want to say something like 4 for 78 or something like that. So it’s not a great number. Colombo was a particularly difficult wicket. And I think the numbers tonight got sort of improved towards the back end. But again, Aryan Dutt bowling four overs for whatever it is, it is a big challenge.
“I think these two venues in particular with a bigger boundary here and obviously a slower wicket in Colombo does exaggerate that. But it’s something we’re going to have to focus on. Like I said, with the amount of finger spin we’re going to get in the next three games, it’s going to be important that we dominate that phase of the game,” he added.
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