New Delhi,: Despite advancing unbeaten to the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, defending champions India have identified a key area of concern — tackling finger spin on challenging surfaces.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admitted after India’s 17-run victory over the Netherlands in Ahmedabad that the team needs a clearer strategy to counter finger spinners in the upcoming Super 8 fixtures.
“We will have to focus on tackling finger spinners in the next three Super 8 matches,” ten Doeschate said. “I wouldn’t say our batters are struggling against off-spinners specifically, but finger spinners have posed challenges, especially on surfaces where the ball holds up and boundaries are large.”
Left-Heavy Top Order Under Scrutiny
India’s top order features six left-handers among the top eight batters, giving opponents opportunities to deploy off-spinners strategically. Ten Doeschate noted that rival teams have increasingly leaned on spin-heavy tactics against India.
Referring to a previous match against Pakistan in Colombo, he highlighted how spin dominated the middle overs. “Pakistan bowled 17 overs of spin against us, 14 of them from finger spinners. The returns were significant, and those numbers are not ideal for us,” he observed.
In the final group-stage match, Netherlands off-spinner Aryan Dutt removed Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan in his opening spells, finishing with figures of two wickets in the powerplay and maintaining pressure through tight bowling.
Middle Overs a Concern
The assistant coach acknowledged that India have found it difficult to accelerate in the middle overs on slow or spin-friendly pitches, particularly in Sri Lanka. Large boundaries in Ahmedabad and slow tracks in Colombo have further compounded the challenge.
“Teams are smarter now. They are setting fields and bowling plans that restrict scoring in the middle overs,” he said. “We need better planning on such wickets and must adapt to conditions more effectively.”
Eye on Super 8 Opposition
Looking ahead, ten Doeschate pointed out that potential Super 8 opponents like New Zealand, West Indies, and South Africa possess multiple finger-spin options, including South Africa captain Aiden Markram.
He, however, expressed confidence in India’s batting depth. “We still believe these are our best batters. We will continue backing our left-handers. Abhishek Sharma’s record speaks for itself and gives him confidence,” he said.
Ten Doeschate added that India’s lower middle order must step up in the final overs to ensure strong finishes in high-pressure games.
With momentum on their side but clear tactical refinements needed, India now turn their focus to the Super 8 stage, aiming to maintain their unbeaten run while addressing vulnerabilities against spin.
