India Vs Ireland 3rd T20: Jitesh Sharma, Avesh Khan Should Get A Chance, Says Former Selector Sarandeep Singh

Team India have already won the three-match T20I series against Ireland by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead after the first two matches.

Team India and Punjab Kings wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma. (Photo: ANI)

Team India have already clinched the three-match T20I series against Ireland after winning the first two games on Friday and Sunday. Jasprit Bumrah’s side will now take on the Irish in the third and final match at the Village Stadium in Dublin on Wednesday.

With the series already in the bag, Team India can afford to experiment with their playing 11 for the final game in Malahide. It will be interesting to see if the likes of Jitesh Sharma, Avesh Khan and Shahbaz Ahmed get an opportunity to play in this match.

Former India selector and Jio Cinema expert Sarandeep Singh believes India should take this opportunity and ring in some changes to their lineup.

“Absolutely, it should definitely happen, especially after a victory, when you get the liberty to make changes. I really want to see Avesh Khan play. He’s a good fast bowler, and I’ve mentioned before that he consistently performs well in domestic cricket and even in the IPL. We’ve seen him playing regularly and delivering excellent bowling performances,” Sarandeep Singh said.

“Even though we couldn’t give him a chance during the West Indies series due to the back-and-forth nature of the matches, we should certainly provide him with an opportunity here. Jitesh Sharma should also get a chance,” he added.

Another Jio Cinema expert Abhishek Nayar, felt India should not change the winning combination. “I’d prefer not to see any changes. You know, it’s a very short tour, just these T20Is. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the players who have been given an opportunity continue to play,” he said.

PBKS finisher Jitesh Sharma on warm ups! pic.twitter.com/OwMFqwqeSE

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsCult) August 20, 2023

Promising batter Tilak Varma, who has been selected for the Asia Cup, has had two unsuccessful outings against Ireland, managing one run in two innings, but Nayar believes there’s little that he should change as far as his approach is concerned. 

“I believe Tilak Varma has been slightly unfortunate in the first T20I when he got out down the leg side. I feel most batsmen would want a boundary on that kind of a ball. In the second T20I, he played his favourite shot, the one that got him a six on his debut in the West Indies. So, I believe he has been unfortunate. I just believe he should stick to his game plans and keep doing what he is doing. His biggest strength has been evident in the IPL. Every time he has had a bad knock, he has come back more aggressively,” Nayar said about Tilak Varma.

Sarandeep Singh, on the other hand, said: “Tilak Varma should do one simple thing: go and observe first how the wicket is behaving. Where he made his debut in the West Indies, the conditions were somewhat similar to India and the wicket behaved in a similar manner. There, he could play shots in a certain way. However, now that he’s in Ireland, the conditions are different. The wicket is harder, there’s grass on it, moisture is present, and there are overcast conditions. The ball moves, and there’s more bounce. So, he should take a bit of time, face 15-16 balls, and then start playing his shots.”