West Indies vs India is always a game to watch for specially when it’s a shorter format game. Team India is currently touring the West Indies for a series of 2 tests, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is. India has dominated the West Indies in Tests and ODI, but in T20Is, the West Indies have won 2 out of 5 games so far. India only won 1 game, and the upcoming 4th game will be crucial for them. If they lose, they will lose the T20 series against West Indies. This series is a good opportunity for India to test their young players ahead of the Asia Cup 2023.
Asia Cup 2023 will also be a shorter format game and it will be exciting to see how India will perform under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma. Currently, he along with Virat Kohli is on rest for the rest of the series after the ODIs.
Hardik Pandya is leading the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma, with Surya Kumar Yadav as vice-captain. India made a strong comeback in the third game, recovering from the loss of two early wickets thanks to a partnership of 87 runs between Surya Kumar Yadav (83) and Tilak Verma (49).
The current state of the T20 series between West Indies vs India in 2023
West Indies has a chance to win the T20 series with only two matches left, following losses in the test and ODI. They won’t miss this opportunity. India is having difficulty adjusting to the slow playing surface, resulting in all three games being low scoring. These wickets present a real challenge for batsmen, as we’ve seen bowlers performing well from both ends throughout the series. In three games the top order of India flopped completely. Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill failed to give a good start to the team which resulted in losing two games.
West Indies is also facing the same issue with their openers. In the middle order, both teams saw some good performances from Nicholas Pooran and Tilak Varma. They both entertained the crowd well with their batting. Surya Kumar Yadav found his form and scored a half-century, helping India win the third game. It’s also a good sign for India as the Asia Cup 2023 is ahead.
West Indies vs India: Tilak Verma the rising star
Tilak Verma made his T20 debut for India in this series. He is a left-arm batsman who plays for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. His brilliant performance in the IPL 2023 has been rewarded by the BCCI by selecting him for the West Indies tour. He is just 20 years old and has performed exceptionally well so far. Currently, he is the leading run-scorer in the series with 139 runs from India. In the middle order batting on the 4th number, he showed that India can rely on him in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023.
He is making an impact with his performances and if he continues his good form then he could be part of the World Cup 2023 squad as well. India is in desperate search for a player who can fit on number 4 as Shreyas Iyar and KL Rahul are recovering from their injuries. Rishabh Pant is also not recovered yet. This could be a great opportunity for Tilak Varma to perform at his best.
With players like Tilak Verma, Yashavi Jaiswal, and Ishan Kishan team India’s future seem bright. BCCI is doing well to nurture these talents by giving them opportunities. Playing under such conditions is never easy and Tilak Verma showed that he could be the best option for India at number 4 soon.
Conclusion
India will be eying to win the 4th T20 after beating West Indies in the last game. The match will take place on a different surface now and again it will be a challenge for Indian batsmen to adapt to the situation. On the other end, West Indies has the advantage of home, but they won’t take their opponent lightly.
Winning this game could seal the series for the West Indies and they will try their best to win the upcoming match. Both the teams have played a lot of cricket with each other till now and are familiar with each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Despite their management issues, West Indies has shown that they are still champions of the T20 format. Buckle up as the 4th T20 is going to be a thrilling contest. With Surya Kumar Yadav coming back in form. Team India will be hoping to win the remaining games to win the series which seems difficult at this moment. It will be interesting to see what West Indies will do to win the game.
