Bengaluru’s rain clouds threaten to put a dampener on a series that has had little shortage of fireworks. India and West Indies head into Saturday’s fifth and final T20I locked at 2-2, with showers and thunderstorms forecast around the scheduled 7 pm start at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. If the weather permits a full contest, India will have to find answers to a more immediate problem: how to rein in a West Indies batting line-up that has repeatedly exposed their bowling frailties. With the visitors matching India’s firepower and the series on the line, the hosts cannot afford another night of six-hitting at will.
India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has defended his attack, pointing to flat pitches, dew and the difficulty of executing plans with a wet ball. He has also urged people to consider the mental fatigue brought on by a packed schedule, with players coming straight from the Asian Games into the West Indies series and travelling to Delhi for the felicitation ceremony before returning to Bengaluru. But the numbers make for uncomfortable reading. Barring Prince Yadav, none of India’s frontline pacers has managed an economy rate below 10 runs per over across the series.
West Indies chase down a record 250 in the second T20I in Ranchi, they went past 200, but failed to chase 224 in Indore in the third. However, in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad, the West Indies smashed 247/3 in 20 overs and successfully defended it by 24 runs to level the series.
In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for this series, the young crop of Indian fast bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh, has struggled to contain the West Indies batters on flat surfaces.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return could offer India some much-needed control. The 36-year-old has been added to the squad after Arshdeep sustained a blow to his bowling shoulder in Hyderabad, and his ability to swing the new ball and deliver variations at the death could be valuable against West Indies’ power hitters.
Bhuvneshwar, who last played for India in 2021, was initially in the squad for the New Zealand tour later this month, but the 36-year-old will return early if he gets a spot in the XI.
India are also trying to protect a significant home record: no visiting side has won a bilateral T20I series in India since February 2019 – a run of 20 series without being beaten at home.
TEAM NEWS: BHUVI IN?
Bhuvneshwar’s inclusion is the biggest talking point ahead of the decider. His experience could be particularly useful in the powerplay and at the death, two phases in which India’s pace attack has struggled to contain West Indies. Arshdeep’s availability is in doubt after his shoulder injury in the fourth T20I, making Bhuvneshwar a strong contender to feature at a venue where he plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.
India could also consider bringing Kuldeep Yadav back into the XI. The left-arm wrist-spinner played the first two matches but missed the next two, and his ability to take wickets through the middle overs could give India an alternative to trying to out-hit West Indies. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is another possible option at the top of the order, although a change to the opening combination remains uncertain. Sanju Samson’s 56 off 23 balls in Hyderabad should help him retain his place.
West Indies, meanwhile, have little reason to overhaul a combination that has produced two wins in the last three matches. Hope has led from the front, while Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford have added muscle to the middle order. Keemo Paul’s five-wicket haul in Hyderabad has also strengthened his case to retain his place. The visitors will want their aggressive batting approach to remain intact, particularly against an Indian attack that has struggled to defend big totals.
PREDICTED PLAYING XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav/Naman Dhir.
West Indies: Shai Hope (c/wk), Jewel Andrew, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, Keemo Paul, Shamar Springer, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR BENGALURU
The weather is a significant concern ahead of the match. The India Meteorological Department has forecast generally cloudy skies in Bengaluru, with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers and a warning for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning. Temperatures are expected to range between 21°C and 29°C.
The forecast from AccuWeather is also concerning for a match scheduled to begin at 7 pm IST. The probability of precipitation was projected to rise to around 67 per cent at 7 pm and 71 per cent at 8 pm, before easing later in the evening. Those figures point to a genuine risk of a delayed start or interruptions during play.\
For a series that has swung between two high-scoring West Indies chases and India’s own big totals, a rain-affected finish would be an unsatisfactory end. If overs are lost, the toss and the ability to adapt quickly to a shortened contest could become decisive. Both sides will also have to account for the possibility of a wet ball and dew, which could make it harder for bowlers to grip the ball and execute their plans.
PITCH AND CONDITIONS
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium is traditionally a batting-friendly venue, with a relatively flat surface and short boundaries that encourage aggressive strokeplay. Another high-scoring contest is possible if the match gets underway, and India’s bowlers will need to use their variations rather than rely solely on pace. Spinners who are willing to vary their pace and flight could have a role, particularly if they can force batters to hit against the turn or target the longer boundaries.
The ground, however, has one important advantage if rain arrives: its SubAir subsurface aeration and vacuum-powered drainage system. Installed in 2017, it uses underground pipes and suction technology to remove excess water from the playing surface and help dry the outfield faster.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
India
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
The veteran seamer is the obvious player to watch if he makes the XI. India’s pacers have struggled to contain the West Indies, and Bhuvneshwar’s ability to swing the ball early, disguise slower deliveries and bowl with control at the death could offer a different dimension. His task will be to make early inroads and prevent Hope and the middle order from settling into another six-hitting spree.
Sanju Samson
Samson’s 56 off 23 balls in Hyderabad was one of the positives from India’s defeat. His ability to score quickly at the top of the order could help India put West Indies under pressure, particularly if the weather reduces the number of overs available. India will need him to turn that promising innings into a decisive contribution in the series finale.
West Indies
Shai Hope
Hope has been the defining batter of the series. His unbeaten 102 off 50 balls in Hyderabad was his second century of the series and helped West Indies post 247 for three. His ability to combine placement with power has made him difficult to contain, and India will be desperate to dismiss him before he can dictate another innings.
Shimron Hetmyer
Hetmyer offers West Indies another source of explosive scoring in the middle order. His aggressive approach allows Hope to build an innings at one end while the left-hander attacks the bowling, particularly against pace. If India fail to take wickets in the middle overs, Hetmyer could make another substantial contribution to a formidable total.
– Ends
