Onus on batsmen as Windies look to level series

Overview

India v the Windies2nd T20I
Ekana International Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Tuesday, 6 November, 19:00 local; 13:30 GMT)

It might work in the Windies' favour that the second T20I will be the first international game to played at the newly-built facility in Lucknow and that India too may not have a measure of the conditions or the wicket. In a way, then, it's a bit like an away game for both sides.

There was plenty of assistance for the fast bowlers on the Eden Gardens pitch in the first game, where the ball moved in the air as well as off the pitch, which is quite uncharacteristic in India.

As a result, and courtesy some good bowling by Oshane Thomas and captain Carlos Brathwaite, the Windies had India at 45/4 chasing 110 for victory in the eighth over and, for a while, it looked like the game will go down to the wire.

However, a resilient 34-ball 31* from Dinesh Karthik and a breezy nine-ball 21* from debutant Krunal Pandya ensured that there were no nerves at the end and India coasted home quite comfortably with 2.1 overs to spare.

But the 27-run match-winning partnership did not hide India's top-order worries, as all of Rohit Sharma, the stand-in captain, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul departed cheaply. For Rahul, especially, the series is key if he wants to make a dash for a spot in the squad for the ICC Men's World Cup 2019.

Rishabh Pant, thought of as Dhoni's successor with the big gloves in T20Is, didn't keep wickets – Karthik did – and failed with the bat, making just one run and falling to a reckless shot. He will look to make amends to that performance and get some runs under his belt.

Barring these stutters with the bat, the Indians were good in Kolkata, bowling extremely well to restrict a power-packed Windies line-up to 109/8, with Kuldeep Yadav starring with his three wickets for just 13 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who did not play the first game, may come back in the mix to bolster the bowling attack.

India's gain was the Windies' pain, as another batting collapse on the tour cost them dear. The Windies lost four wickets inside the first 10 overs, including those of in-form batsmen Shai Hope (14) and Shimron Hetmyer (10) as well as T20 veteran Kieron Pollard (14), and were under pressure straightaway.

"If we had wickets in hand, we would've got 130-140, which would've probably been a winning score," Brathwaite said after the game, ruing a dismal batting performance.

While Andre Russell's injury created a big hole in the middle order, the trio of Darren Bravo (5), Rovman Powell (4) and captain Brathwaite (4) could not step up either. Fabian Allen (27) and Keemo Paul (15*) dragged the team total past 100 but it proved to be too little.

Going into the second game, it will be imperative that the Windies put on a much improved batting show and give the bowlers, who fared well on Sunday, some cushion.

Key players

Kuldeep Yadav (India): It has become a habit for Yadav to pick up wickets almost every time he takes the ball for India in white-ball cricket and he did just that on Sunday, picking up three wickets and breaking through the Windies line-up. His ability to extract turn out of practically any surface makes him a lethal prospect for any opposition.

**Oshane Thomas (Windies):**Although a bit wayward at times, Thomas' rise has been noteworthy. Capable of breaching the 90mph barrier consistently and extracting movement off the surface as well as in the air at that pace, as was seen in Kolkata, Thomas could trouble the Indian top order again.

Conditions

It should be cool in Lucknow in the evening by the time the game commences and so the players will find it a bit easier after playing in Kolkata's humidity. The relatively big boundaries at the stadium may help the spinners bowl with a little extra freedom.

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Umesh Yadav, Shahbaz Nadeem

**Windies:**Carlos Brathwaite (c), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Obed McCoy, Keemo Paul, Khary Pierre, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Sherfane Rutherford, Oshane Thomas