"Use of Chakaravarthy, Bumrah against them going to be extremely critical": Sanjay Bangar ahead of must-win Super 8 fixture vs WI

New Delhi [India], March 1 (ANI): Ahead of the upcoming do-or-die Super 8 clash against the West Indies, former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar stressed the significance of sticking to disciplined bowling plans to counter the Caribbean side's aggressive batting approach.
West Indies and India will tussle it out at Kolkata in a repeat of their classic 2016 T20 WC semifinal clash in Mumbai. Holder has been important in WI's success this tournament, scoring 104 runs in four innings at a strike rate of over 176 and taking eight wickets at an average of 20.75 with a four-wicket haul to his name.
Speaking on the challenge posed by West Indies batters, Bangar said on JioHotstar, "In T20 cricket, you have to be open to getting hit because batters will come hard at you. There are times when they may get off to a rollicking start and could be 60 without loss. But with that aggressive style and focus on boundaries, they can quickly slip to 84 for 4 as well, within the space of 20-odd runs."
With experienced bowlers like Bumrah and Chakaravarthy in the attack, India hopes to contain the big-hitting Caribbean batters and capitalise on any early breakthroughs to maintain control of the game.
However, the former India batting coach underlined the importance of Indian bowlers remaining focused and making intelligent use of their wicket-taking options. "That's why I believe the Indian team should stick to their bowling plans and make smart use of their wicket-taking options. The use of Varun Chakaravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah against them is going to be extremely critical," Bangar added.
Bangar's analysis points to the volatility of T20 cricket, where a batting side can shift momentum rapidly. The Indian team will need to balance aggression with strategy to restrict the free-scoring West Indies line-up.
Bangar also suggested tactical adjustments for the mystery spinner Chakaravarthy after his dip in form during the Super 8 stage, highlighting strategies to counter West Indies batter Shimron Hetmyer.
Bangar observed, "I thought he was slightly short against the Zimbabwe batters. The majority of his deliveries were back of a length, and many of the boundaries scored came from that area. So, I think it would be better for him to push the ball slightly fuller and try to hit the stumps. That has been one of Varun Chakaravarthy's strengths; if the batsman misses, he is either trapped leg before wicket or bowled."

He further emphasised that Chakaravarthy's ability to angle the ball across the batsman and vary with the googly will be crucial against aggressive hitters like Hetmyer. "Hetmyer looks to target long-on or the mid-wicket region, with a large share of his runs coming in that region. So, bowling those googlies from off-stump to the fourth-stump line, slightly wider outside off, would mean that if he tries to go across the line, there is always a wicket-taking opportunity for Varun Chakaravarthy," Bangar added.
Shimron Hetmyer has been WI's best bet with the bat and his success at number three has been extremely heartening from WI's standpoint, having made 221 runs in six innings at an average of 44.20 and a strike rate of 182.64 and two fifties.
Chakravarthy continues to take wickets and is India's top wicket taker this tournament with 11 scalps at an average of over 13; his fortunes have dwindled a bit in the Super Eight phase.
Squads:
India Squad: Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav.
West Indies Squad: Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Johnson Charles, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Quentin Sampson. (ANI)