In a recent match against New Zealand, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed that the team intentionally chose to field six batters and five specialist bowlers during the fourth T20I. He viewed the 50-run defeat as a valuable opportunity for growth ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
After New Zealand set a challenging target of 215-7, India found themselves in a tough spot, especially with Ishan Kishan sidelined due to a minor injury. The team struggled to reach 165, bowled out in just 18.4 overs, leaving the series scoreline at 3-1 in favor of New Zealand.
Suryakumar explained, “We made a conscious decision to play six batters today. Our aim was to have five strong bowlers and put ourselves to the test. While the outcome wasn’t ideal, it’s important to play all the players who are in the World Cup squad, rather than sticking to our usual lineup.”
When asked about the decision to bowl first, he mentioned, “We’ve been performing well while batting first, so I wanted the team to take on the challenge of chasing down 180 or 200 runs, even if we lost a couple of wickets early. It’s a good test for us, and if given the chance in the future, we may opt to chase again. Ultimately, it’s all part of our learning process.”
Suryakumar noted the influence of dew on the match and commended Dube for his impressive innings of 65. However, he expressed disappointment regarding the lack of partnerships. “With the heavy dew, a couple of solid partnerships could have changed the game significantly. Losing by 50 runs is tough, but I believe that a few more partnerships during the chase would have made a difference.”
This match marked the first time in the series that none of India’s top three batters achieved a half-century.