With the India vs West Indies T20I series level at 2-2, the fifth and final match in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 17, will decide the winner. India will be eager to finish the series on a high, but selecting the right combination could prove crucial. Former India cricketer and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has shared his thoughts on the changes the hosts should consider for the series decider.
Speaking on JioStar, Nayar described India’s selection dilemma as a “Catch-22 situation” and backed the inclusion of left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. He suggested replacing Naman Dhir with Kuldeep, while moving Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel one position higher in the batting order.
“I think India are in a Catch-22 situation. I’ll take a punt and try and go the Kuldeep Yadav way. So, I may replace Naman Dhir with Kuldeep Yadav and get Nitish and Axar one place up. Axar Patel has also played that role of a floater really well for Team India when he has been sent up. I am very tempted to play Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” Abhishek Nayar said on JioStar.
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Kuldeep, 31, has already featured in the first two matches of the ongoing series but missed the next two games. His most recent T20I appearance before the series came during the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan in February. Nayar believes bringing the experienced spinner back could strengthen India’s bowling attack for the decisive encounter.
Axar Patel’s ability to adapt to different batting positions is another factor behind Nayar’s recommendation. Promoting Axar and Nitish would allow India to accommodate Kuldeep without making major changes to the established batting structure.
Abhishek Nayar also addressed the possibility of including young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, admitting that Bengaluru’s favourable batting conditions make the prospect tempting. However, he stressed that the youngster should only be selected if India are prepared to use him as an opener.
“But are you going to play him out of position? If Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is playing, then he plays in his strongest position, which is opening. And if he is opening, then whoever is number three should also be playing in his strongest position. However tempted I may be to see Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, that too in Bengaluru in such good conditions, I will make changes in the bowling, not in the batting at all,” he added.
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The former assistant coach’s preference is therefore to strengthen the bowling unit rather than disrupt the batting order. He also suggested that India should aim to field four attacking bowlers, depending on Arshdeep Singh’s availability. With the series on the line, India’s final team selection could prove decisive. Nayar’s recommendations offer a clear approach: bring Kuldeep into contention, use Axar’s flexibility, and avoid forcing Sooryavanshi into an unfamiliar batting position.
