India need to play an extra pacer in place of Ravi Bishnoi. Image Credits: AFP
Under new management, India have played all the faulty combinations across formats in the last couple of years. The experiments have been more prominent in the T20I side, and the trend has continued on the UK tour.
In the second T20I, India had as many as three spinners - Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi - in their XI. The pace department consisted of only Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, with Shivam Dube being the part-timer.
Why India need another pacer in playing XI
India were forced to use Ravi Bishnoi in the 17th over against two decent spin players, Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran. That resulted in 29 runs, as Bishnoi ended up bowling a match-losing over.
Also Read: 3 Spinners Better Than Ravi Bishnoi, Whom India Can Hand Debut Call-Up
By that time, India were out of options in the pace department, for they wanted to preserve Arshdeep and Harshit’s overs. Now, that’s the problem with just two main pacers in the XI.
India didn’t use Shivam Dube at any stage, since English batters were proactive enough to pounce on every positive matchup. That forced them to back their five specialist bowlers for the job, but it wasn’t enough.
Between overs 7 and 16, India could use only two overs of pace, with spinners operating expensively in the other sets. Another pacer would have given more flexibility and allowed them to minimise Bishnoi’s usage since he looked out of sorts.
Eventually, spinners collectively conceded 9.75 runs per over, picking up only two wickets. Moreover, their extra usage meant Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton faced more overs of spin, and both are quality players of spin bowling, as they built a substantial stand.
Indian spinners, barring Axar Patel, were ineffective in 2nd T20I
In Hardik Pandya’s absence, India will always be a bowler short in the pace department and will need to play an extra pacer, even if that means compromising the batting depth. Clearly, they don’t trust Dube’s bowling enough to use it against quality and settled batters when the field is spread.
Using part-time spinners in place of a specialist third spinner
India have Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma as part-time spinners who can chip in with a couple of overs if required. Abhishek, in particular, brings much more value than India have used so far.
He has a traditional stock delivery that goes away from RHBs after pitching. Then, Abhishek also has a back spinner that turns the other way and has fetched him a few wickets in the IPL before.
This backspinner turns into the RHBs and away from the LHBs, making him a decent prospect in the middle overs. Hence, India can use him for a few overs as a third spinner.
Tilak isn’t as developed or as skilled with the ball as Abhishek, but his precise use can be useful. Against LHBs, his off-spin can be a matchup.
All in all, India have a couple of decent part-time spinners to use rather than giving a third slot to a specialist spinner. With Kuldeep Yadav not in the squad, they don’t have enough quality in the spin department anyway.
Why Prince Yadav should play in Nottingham
Prince Yadav should be the third pacer in the upcoming game against England, with Ravi Bishnoi going out. Prince will be mighty effective in English conditions, for he showed terrific new-ball skills in IPL 2026.
He found ample swing in the powerplay and made early inroads, particularly in home games. The lanky pacer took seven wickets at 23.57 runs apiece and conceded 8.68 runs per over during field restrictions this season.
Prince can form a lethal opening pair with Arshdeep Singh, with both capable of moving the new ball. Then, he also showed a significant control over his yorkers and understands how to generate reverse swing with the old ball in slog overs.
Prince Yadav showed tremendous skills in IPL 2026
If he bowls in the powerplay, India can use Harshit Rana as an enforcer in the middle overs. Rana has the pace, and his natural lengths are slightly shorter.
Hence, he can hit the deck hard and cramp batters for room once more fielders go on the boundary ropes. It would mean India would always have a pacer around spinners and get more options to work with.
With two pacers, their hands were tied, and England knew that more spinners would come after another outside the powerplay. Prince should play for now, and India should consistently use an extra pacer until Hardik returns.
Also Read: Why India Must Rethink Their T20I Batting Combination
