India vs West Indies 3rd T20I: Prediction and Betting Tips

Key Stats

• In total, the two teams have met 18 times in T20Is with India leading 12-6, including ten of the last 11
• India has now won their last six home T20I series
• The win in the 2nd T20I saw Rohit Sharma’s team set a new India record of eight T20I victories in a row
• India has lost only one series in their last nine home or away
• In eight of 12 T20I series defeats since 2018, West Indies failed to win a single match.
• West Indies have now lost their last four bilateral series against India.
• The Caribbean outfit have lost nine of their last 12 T20Is.

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant rested after runs

The former Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been a long way below his usual high standards recently. With 52 (41 balls), along with an unbeaten 52 from Rishabh Pant, Kohli managed to enable India to reach 186 for five on Thursday. But India have taken the decision to rest both star men with plenty of cricket to come.

A special ? for #TeamIndia in T20Is ?? pic.twitter.com/czrBSeRpR4

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 18, 2022

Shreyas Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad are likely to get a chance to shine with Ishan Kishan taking the gloves. Venkatesh Iyer played beautifully for a late 33 from 18 deliveries. That knock was ultimately the difference between the two sides.

The Indian line-up includes several potential top scorers, but it is easy to whittle it down to play the percentages. Firstly, back someone in the top three as they potentially get to face the most balls. And, although the flamboyant players provide the fireworks, they are often the most inconsistent.

On that basis, you can exclude Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, the extravagant hitters that will top score sometimes. And the standout candidates left are Rohit Sharma and Ruturaj, with Shreya likely to bat at no.4. You then make a decision on form.

I’d currently persevere with Rohit, but Ruturaj is in the conversation at a bigger price.

Rohit has scored the most runs in this fixture (559) and may be buoyed after being named India’s Test skipper. I’m backing Rohit, but I can understand anyone that takes a punt on Ruturaj, despite his lack of cricket.

Karl Mayers a top-order powerhouse

Karl Mayers was out for only nine in the 2nd T20I but has been impressive since he took over as opener for West Indies. He was promoted for the last two matches against England and made 40 (23 balls) and 31 (19). He then made 31 (24) in the 1st T20I.

All that’s missing is a match-winning rather than match-changing score.

Nicholas Pooran with 61 off 43 and then 62 off 41 has been the standout Caribbean batter. That is the first time in his career that he has posted consecutive 60-plus innings. He came very close to an unlikely chase in the 2nd T20I but was out in the penultimate over when sixes were required.

Pooran and Rovman Powell will both be playing in the upcoming IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals respectively.

And Powell impressed his Delhi skipper. “He was hitting bullets” said Capitals’ skipper Pant at the post-match presentation. “At the back of my mind, I was happy as well as Powell will be playing for Delhi Capitals.”

Pooran is living up to a huge IPL price tag and must be the play to finish in the same form. He is 4.50 to top score in the final T20I.

West Indies 2-0 down but have been competitive

India have come out on top in the series so far and are expected to make it 3-0, but West Indies have been competitive enough to take both games into the last knockings.

Powell needed 4 sixes off the last four balls to win the 2nd T20I for the tourists. After two maximums, a single from the penultimate ball ensured an Indian victory.

Is a Kohli-less Indian vulnerable?

No, is the short answer. The Blue Army have shown since Kohli’s debut that they can live without his talents. India has a 24-9 win-loss record when he has not played. It stands at 13-2 in home games. The land of the IPL has staggering strength in depth.

The spinners have been effective

The Indian spinners, Ravi Bishnoi and Yuzvendra Chahal, have combined to control the middle overs but West Indies spinners have been even more effective.

India’s twirlers have taken 5/112 from a combined 16 overs at 7.00 runs per over. But Roston Chase and Akeal Hosein have 5/103 from 16 overs at 6.48.

Roston Chase has topped the tourist’s wicket-taking stakes in both matches. His combined 5/39 from eight overs is too impressive to ignore and he’s worth a punt to make it a hat-trick of excellent performances.

Eden Gardens, Kolkata

The average first innings score in T20Is played at Eden Gardens is 152. It is 177 for teams who bat first and go on to win.

India now has a 5:1 success rate at Eden Gardens and West Indies’ record stands at 1:3.

Team News

India’s vice-captain KL Rahul (hamstring) and all-rounder Axar Patel (recovering from Covid-19) have been ruled out of the series Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda named as replacements. Washington Sundar suffered a hamstring strain when fielding in the third ODI and has been replaced by Kuldeep Yadav.

And with Kohli and Pant sitting the last match out, there will be opportunities for others to step up.

India’s T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav.

West Indies T20I Squad: Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.