The IND vs AUS 3rd T20I didn’t go India’s way. After dominating the visitors in the first two matches of the series, the Indian side witnessed the onslaught of Glenn Maxwell from close quarters. The worst to come off of the match was pacer Prasidh Krishna, who conceded 68 runs in his four overs, including 23 in the final over. Deepak Chahar, on the other hand, was named in the squad for the last three T20Is in place of Mukesh Kumar who took a leave to tie the knot.
The bigger perspective
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and stand-in coach VVS Laxman now face a difficult question of whether to persist with Prasidh Krishna or provide Deepak Chahar with a chance in the 4th T20I. The question gains even greater significance if looked at from a wider perspective.
Ahead of the T20I World Cup in 2024, India only has eight T20I matches including the 4th T20I to figure a combination for the tournament. The less number of matches add to the woes of the Indian management who do not have a lot of leeway to get the decision wrong.
Prasidh Krishna has made matters worse proving a dismal performance in the IND vs AUS 3rd T20I. He has broken an unwanted record with his figures of 4-0-68. He broke the record of worst figures by an Indian in a T20 international. His performance might provide an incentive to Suryakumar and Laxman to look for a different solution. That solution might arrive in the form of Deepak Chahar.
Chahar has had a bad run-in with injuries in the last few years. After missing the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 and T20 World Cup in Australia with a back injury, he made a comeback in the IPL 2023. However, another hamstring injury bogged him down. He sat out of six IPL 2023 matches for Chennai Super Kings. Chahar was looking for an opportunity to relaunch himself in the India setup. The 4th T20I can be a perfect opportunity for Chahar to make a mark before the T20I World Cup if given a chance.
Whatever the decision is, it can be safely said that SKY and Laxman will have a close eye on both of them.
