India skipper Suryakumar Yadav lauded his team’s resilience after a disastrous start, crediting Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube for steering the innings to a competitive total in their 15-run victory over England in the fourth T20I here on Friday. India found themselves reeling at 12/3 in the second over, but Pandya and Dube stabilised the innings, guiding the hosts to 181/9. “We didn’t want to go back after 12/3. Three wickets in one over was too much. The way Hardik and Dube showed their experience was great,” Suryakumar said after India’s 15-run win.

Highlighting India’s intent, the India skipper said: “This is one thing we’ve been talking about — expressing yourself and batting the same way as in the nets. I think we are moving in the right direction.” Dube, however, was struck on the helmet in the final over and was substituted, paving the way for Harshit Rana’s unexpected yet dream T20I debut.

“I knew we could control the game after the powerplay. We picked a few wickets. Post drinks, Harshit Rana came in as the third seamer and delivered,” Suryakumar said.

Rana seized the moment with a stellar three-wicket haul.

“It is still a dream debut for me. When Dube came back, after two overs I was informed I will be the concussion substitute,” Rana said.

The young pacer revealed he had been preparing for this opportunity long before the series.

“I have been preparing for a while, not just for this series. I have been waiting for this moment [his debut] to prove myself. When I got the chance, I did not think of the circumstances and just thought about delivering. I have experience of bowling at the death [for KKR in the IPL] and relied on that,” Rana said.

England skipper Jos Buttler lamented his team’s missed opportunity after a strong start, admitting they failed to capitalize on the early breakthroughs.

“We started brilliantly, taking wickets in the powerplay and we were in a great position at the end of the batting powerplay. We should have gone onto win the game.

He acknowledged England’s key lapses, including a costly dropped catch.

“…We dropped Dube first ball and he went to play a really good innings. With the bat, we were in a fantastic position and lost a couple of key wickets.” 

Star batter Rinku Singh is set to make his return to India’s playing XI for the crucial 4th T20I against England in Cuttack on Friday. After featuring in the series-opener in Kolkata, Rinku sat out the last two games in Chennai and Rajkot, respectively, owing to back spasms. However, on the eve of the game in Cuttack, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed that Rinku will be available for selection, having looked in good rhythm while batting in the nets on a day earlier.

“Rinku is fit. He played the first game, hurt himself and missed the next two. But I would imagine Rinku comes back in as soon as he’s proper fit. He batted the other night and I think he’ll be ready to go tomorrow,” Ten Doeschate said during a pre-match press conference on Thursday.

Rinku’s likely inclusion would be a major boost for the Indian team as it looks to wrap up the series on Friday ahead of the fifth and final game in Mumbai on Sunday.

If the team management does decide to ship Rinku into the playing XI, young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel is likely to make the way. Unlike Jurel, Rinku is likely to bat higher up the order and will provide more stability in the middle-order.

It is highly unlikely that India will make any other change. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma will continue to open, while Tilak Varma‘s match-winning knock in Chennai has earned him a longer rope in the team.

Mohammed Shami needs a lot of bowling in match situations and the Rajkot game was a decent restart to his international career without being spectacular. For continuity, the management is likely to persist with the veteran for this game at least. 

India’s Likely XI For 4th T20I vs England:

Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami and Varun Chakravarthy

File image of Rinku Singh.© AFP