Surya & Co look to stay perfect as Abhishek hunts for big runs
Ahmedabad: A peerless India will look to fine-tune its combinations and hope for a return to form from Abhishek Sharma when it takes on the Netherlands in its final league fixture of the T20 World Cup here on Wednesday.
Having already qualified for the Super 8s, the defending champions have little at stake in terms of qualification, but the game offers an opportunity for the top-order to iron out concerns against spin. Abhishek, one of the most destructive batters in the format over the last 18 months, is yet to fire in the tournament. A duck in the opener, illness against Namibia and another failure versus Pakistan have left him searching for rhythm.
To be fair, his high-risk approach has fetched India multiple wins in the past, but four ducks in his last six innings suggest a rethink in the powerplay may be necessary. Teams have packed the off-side boundary, particularly deep cover, curbing his preferred scoring zones.
With an eye on the next stage, India could rotate its bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah might be rested, paving the way for Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh to operate alongside spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel.
Match starts@7 pm
For the Netherlands, the contest presents a stiff challenge against the defending champions. After a heavy defeat to USA following a win over Namibia, they would need drastic improvement with both bat and ball. Experienced campaigners like Aryan Dutt and Roelof van der Merwe will have to shoulder responsibility if they are to compete against a well-rounded Indian unit.
