IND vs WI 3rd T2OI: Will dew be a factor in Indore?
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IND vs WI 3rd T2OI: Will dew be a factor in Indore? originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Dew is expected to play a part in Indore, so bowling first looks wise.
- West Indies chased down 250 in Ranchi, led by a Shai Hope hundred; aided by heavy dew.
- Holkar’s short boundaries and high-scoring history make defending any total difficult for either side.
Win toss, bowl first? Why heavy dew in Indore could haunt India again in 3rd T20I vs West Indies
Dew could play a big role in the third T20I between India and West Indies at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, and the toss may end up being worth a lot more than usual.
The five-match series is level after India took an early lead and West Indies bounced back by chasing down 250, with Shai Hope scoring the match-winning hundred.
The evening forecast suggests that conditions will turn in favour of the bowling side that fields second. Temperatures should start at around 26°C at 7 PM IST and fall to about 22-23°C by 10 PM, while humidity is expected to rise from the mid-40s per cent at twilight to somewhere above 55-60 per cent during the second innings, roughly between 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM. A wet outfield is almost certain by the time the chasing team comes out to bat.
India had scored 249 for 5 in the second T20I, which looked like a safe total on paper. However, heavy dew coated the outfield later in the evening, and the two spinners, Axar Patel (0/63) and Kuldeep Yadav (1/53), could not find any control. Hope and Sherfane Rutherford made the most of it, finishing the chase in only 18.3 overs.
India captain Shreyas Iyer admitted afterwards that the dew has left teams in a bit of a puzzle over what a safe score really is.
"[What's a safe score] You cannot put a number to it. When the dew factor comes in, it plays a massive role. You cannot give a number," Iyer opined.
"The margin of error on this wicket was very minor. Any minor error was going into the stands. Few missed chances, but that is part of the game. But credit where due, they batted very well," he added.
MORE: Shreyas Iyer blames dew after West Indies chase down 250 on Ranchi's flat deck
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Toss prediction: Why bowling first is the smart choice in Indore
The numbers suggest that captains should not think twice about their decision at the toss. India have won the toss three times in the four T20Is played at this venue, and each time they chose to bowl first, winning two of those games.
Chasing teams have also won both matches played here this season, and with the dew expected to arrive again, the side winning the toss should bowl first in Indore.
Holkar Stadium: Short boundaries and a batting-friendly pitch
Holkar Stadium has always been a paradise for batters, and the average first-innings score here is around 200. The boundaries are short, at 56 metres square and 68 metres straight, so batters on both sides will be licking their lips.
A wet outfield makes things even easier for them, because it quickens the boundary strokes and softens the ball, which makes defending a total much harder.
In six of the eight innings played at the ground in T20Is, teams have scored 170 or more. Only twice has a side failed to cross 150, when Sri Lanka made 142 for 9 and India replied with 144 for 3 in the same match in 2020.
TeamScoreRun rateInningsOppositionResultDateIndia260/513.001stSri LankaWon2017South Africa227/311.351stIndiaWon2022India1789.622ndSouth AfricaLost2022India173/411.042ndAfghanistanWon2024Sri Lanka1729.922ndIndiaLostDec 22, 2017The most recent competitive T20 match at the ground was another run-fest. Batting first, Gujarat scored 251 for 5, and Karnataka replied with 203 in 19.1 overs.
The toss could decide the third T20I
It would be a surprise if the toss didn’t decide a lot of this game. The evidence from Ranchi was clear, because even a total of 249 couldn’t be defended once the dew arrived, and Holkar’s short boundaries will make things worse for whichever side bats first.
Iyer’s own comment about teams being unsure of a safe total says a great deal about how little confidence bowlers have in these conditions.
India, if they win the toss, have little reason to do anything other than bowl first. Their record at this ground backs that view, and so does the forecast. If they lose it, the bowling plan matters more than the batting one.
Axar and Kuldeep were expensive in Ranchi, so the management may have to think about how much they can rely on spin late at night, with Arshdeep and Mayank Yadav needing to find ways to grip the ball in the second half of the game.
West Indies, meanwhile, will arrive with plenty of belief after Hope’s century. A fast outfield and a short boundary suit their batters, and a repeat of the Ranchi chase wouldn’t be a shock at all. The captain who wins the toss will start with a real advantage, and the other side will have to make up for it with sharper bowling and smarter field placements.
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