5 Reasons why Team India will bounce back to level the series

West Indies defended the mammoth target of 246 runs by the narrowest margin to win the first T20I against India and take a 1-0 lead in the bilateral series. The Indians had a mixed day. The start was horrible for them. The bowlers held by their neck by the West Indians and pummeled mercilessly.

But, the batsmen made full advantage of the batting friendly conditions and took their team to the verge of the highest T20 chase. Although it was a thorough entertainer which saw both the teams fight it out till the last ball of the match, the loss has left India on the brink of a series loss. The Men in Blue are not the ones who get demoralized by close losses. They will be ready to come out all guns blazing.

1. Batting muscle:

Team India flexed its batting muscle in the first game. It was a good way to let the opposition know that we are no less that than your hyper-aggressive batters. Rohit Sharma was the man who set the right tone for the chase. Whether Dhawan will get to play or not is a different question. But, his attacking style and reputation of coming out strongly during important matches is well-known. Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli had rare failures. For players of their caliber who aren’t used to failures during crunch games, they will be craving to have a crack at the West Indies.

2. Bowling – West Indies’ weak link:

West Indies bowlers looked in complete disarray last night. The bowling attack which mostly comprises of all-rounders looked helpless. Had Rahane and Kohli not been dismissed due to fielding brilliance, the match could have ended in India’s favor way before than anticipated. Other surprise failures were Samuels Badree and Sunil Narine. Both the bowlers carry huge reputation but their performance last night proved that even they are totally vulnerable if dealt in the right manner. The venue and pitch remains the same. And, if the Indians bat in the same manner like they did last night and if luck lets down the West Indies bowlers the India will definitely beat the Caribbean Kings hands down.

Also read – West Indies v India, 2nd T20I Preview: Another thriller on the cards as Windies eyes series win

3. MS Dhoni – The Hurt Lion:

“The last ball, Thinking right, execution wrong” this was how Dhoni summed up the entire last over. It is not very often that we see him fail in taking the team past the line. He said he guessed it right that the final delivery from Dwayne Bravo would be a slower ball but his execution of the shot was not good. Situations like those are tailor-made for him. But, unfortunately, Dhoni couldn’t end on the winning side. He is a hurt lion now and will be waiting to pounce back and hunt down the opposition.

4. KL Rahul’s vengeance:

KL Rahul would want to use his frustration of losing despite hitting a century. The chase was built around his innings. He was the man who supported Rohit Sharma and took the chase forward after India lost Rahane and Kohli cheaply. Later, he pushed the West Indians to the corner batting along with MS Dhoni. The victory was in sight. And, it all boiled down to the last six balls where only 8 were required. Somehow, luck didn’t favor him as Dwayne Bravo bowled a match-defining over to leave him and his team totally dejected. All his efforts were washed down the drain. He will be the man under the spotlight and it will be interesting to see how the Windies bowlers cope with him.

5. Series on the line:

India would certainly not want to end their tour on a losing note. Their loss in the first game was unfortunate but they will be itching to push and level the series. They have a winning habit in limited overs cricket and it is very seldom that we see them lose. The year 2016 has been great for them and they would certainly want to keep that record intact.

Also read – Difficult for the bowlers to get into the groove after the Test series: MS Dhoni