In the first of the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club, Indian debutant Riyan Parag got a taste of what it is like to face international bowlers. The fixture, which most expected to be rather smooth sailing for India following the team’s T20 World Cup win, gave the audience an idea of how fickle the game could be.
Riyan Parag’s Disappointing Debut
Due to his sensational performances in domestic cricket and IPL, Riyan Parag’s entry into the team was closely monitored by the fans as well as the critics. However, his journey started on the wrong side of the lips.
The first big blow for the team came in the form of Abhishek Sharma getting dismissed for a duck, which unfortunately continued the poor start for the team. Riyan Parag came in with a lot to prove, literally stepping right into a pressure cooker.
The turning point of the match was a particular over where Riyan Parag while trying to hit a ball over the midfielder, top-edged the shot. The ball rose off the bat, which the batter hit sweetly, but much too high for a boundary and easy pick-up for Mavuta, who was awaiting the ball just in the ring.
This dismissal was a major setback to the Indian team as more overs were bowled and, more importantly, Riyan Parag seemed to struggle and departed with an unfortunate score of two off three balls. This was his misfortune, which translated into a forgettable debut.
Early Struggles for India
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When India took up the chase of Zimbabwe‘s total of 116, things did not look glamorous at all as the hosts continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, huddling at a reasonable 22 for four. The early elimination also poses a threat to the team’s confidence, which underlines the danger of a team underestimating their opponents regardless of the apparent small scoreline.
The problem was from the onset, and this emanated from the lousy top order, which failed to face disciplined Zimbabwean bowlers. The pitch, which provided a little help to the bowlers, turned out to be problematic for the Indian batsmen as they could not get into a fluent touch. The Zimbabwean bowlers, thus, seized the opportunity to bowl well with line and length, making it hard for the West Indies to score.
India’s Current Situation
As of this writing, India is on a precarious wicket at 24 for 4 in six overs. Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel were at the crease, looking to bat through the initial hiccups and come out of the depths; they wanted to chase strongly. Two solid-looking batsmen, very much in control of their nerves and technically correct in their batting, were trying to fashion an escape route out of this Indian mess.
Gill, having truly amazing stroke play all lined up, intended to be the main man to stabilize the innings, and Dhruv Jurel, who was quite keen to carry his senior partner, played a defensive knock. The responsibilities that were given to this pair were to not only make runs but to carry on the innings after having a bad start.
This would be an important factor since their ability to display acceptable performance when under pressure would define the match. However, the top order will have to bounce back in the next outing.
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