Rain threatens to spoil Bumrah’s long-awaited comeback

Big Picture – Will India hand Rinku a debut?

Think twice earlier than you name it a low-key, out-of-place collection. Jasprit Bumrah, returning to worldwide cricket for the primary time in 11 months, is the plain headline-grabber, however this collection may also give a number of India gamers the prospect to push themselves into the reckoning for subsequent 12 months’s T20 World Cup. For Ireland, it is going to be an opportunity to gauge the place they stand within the format and make use of the game-time earlier than the massive event.

India may also need to begin ironing out the problems that surfaced throughout their T20I collection loss to West Indies. India coach Rahul Dravid had recognised batting depth as a problem throughout that collection, and India might want to establish a No. 8 along with back-ups for varied different roles.

As for Bumrah’s return, a number of key questions stay: will he be capable of bowl with the identical consistency as earlier than? He seemed snug within the nets on Wednesday, in a sneak-peek video that included him bowling a toe-crusher and a searing bouncer, that are encouraging indicators. Can he stay match and injury-free for the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup? His final two tried comebacks did not go too effectively for him, keep in mind. And how will he fare as captain?

Another optimistic for India heading into the collection is Prasidh Krishna returning after a prolonged harm layoff. The collection may also function an audition for IPL stars Jitesh Sharma and Rinku Singh, who might play key roles in India’s center order. It’s additionally an opportunity for one in every of Shahbaz Ahmed, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube to stake their declare for an allrounder slot.

The hosts, in the meantime, are coming into the collection having sealed their place within the 2024 T20 World Cup after ending within the high two within the Europe Qualifier. They have run India shut prior to now, however have not managed a win in 5 conferences to this point. Will this be their finest likelihood to place a W of their column?

Weather allowing, we’ll have some solutions quickly.

Form information

Ireland LWWWW (Last 5 accomplished T20Is; most up-to-date first)
India LWWLL

In the highlight – Mark Adair and Prasidh Krishna

Mark Adair is the third-highest wicket-taker in T20Is this 12 months, with 23 wickets in 11 video games. The seam-bowling allrounder additionally completed because the joint-highest wicket-taker within the just lately concluded T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier, with 12 wickets in 5 video games, along with scoring a 72 off 36 balls in a shedding trigger in opposition to Scotland within the final sport of the event. Ireland will financial institution on Adair and their different tempo choices to threaten India’s second-string batting line-up.

Prasidh Krishna was a giant a part of India’s ODI plans a 12 months in the past, having traveled to England, the West Indies and Zimbabwe earlier than a lower-back harm took him out of the sport for a 12 months. His efficiency and health on his worldwide comeback can be monitored carefully by the selectors forward of the Asia Cup. He featured within the Maharaja T20 on Sunday, ending with 1 for 13 in two overs in Mysuru Warriors’ defeat to Hubli Tigers.

Team news – Samson or Jitesh?

With Neil Rock overlooked of the squad, Fionn Hand is more likely to take the No. 6 spot within the Ireland line-up.

Ireland potential XI: 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Andrew Balbirnie, 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 Fionn Hand, 7 George Dockrell, 8 Mark Adair, 9 Barry Mccarthy, 10 Josh Little, 11 Ben White.

Will India proceed with Sanju Samson behind the stumps, or will they convey in Jitesh, who showcased his capacity as a finisher within the IPL this 12 months?

India potential XI: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Rinku Singh, 5 Sanju Samson/Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Washington Sundar/Shahbaz Ahmed, 8 Arshdeep Singh, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Jasprit Bumrah (capt), 11 Prasidh Krishna.

Stats and trivia

  • Bumrah can be India’s eleventh captain in T20Is. Only South Africa (15) and West Indies (13) have had extra. Sri Lanka and Australia have additionally had 11 captains every.
  • Adair wants three extra wickets to change into the primary Ireland bowler to take 100 T20I wickets

Pitch and circumstances

There’s a yellow warning for rainfall beginning 4pm on Friday in Dublin. It is anticipated to be breezy, with intervals of rain forecast within the night. The common rating batting first at Malahide is 167.

Quotes

“I’m coming back after a long time, I just want to enjoy. I’ve never stayed away from the game from this long. I’m not thinking ‘I’ll do this, I’ll do that,’ or ‘I have to contribute a lot.’ I have come here to enjoy it because I like cricket. Expectations, I’m not keeping too much of it.”
India captain Jasprit Bumrah

“We only have a limited time between now and the end of the 2023 domestic season, so it’s also crucial that we use what opportunities we have to provide exposure and experience to a pool of players who we believe are in contention for making that World Cup squad. I would expect that all of the 15 players named in the India series squad will feature at some point.”
Ireland males’s nationwide selector Andrew White

Sruthi Ravindranath is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

Source web site: www.espncricinfo.com

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