Overview:
The former skipper believes India will retain their existing combination for the Pakistan clash.
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly dismissed the aura around Usman Tariq, describing him as a conventional off-spinner who briefly halts in his action before releasing the ball. Backing India’s batting depth, Ganguly said the lineup should be well-equipped to counter him in the T20 World Cup Group A fixture in Colombo. Tariq has emerged as a talking point ahead of Sunday’s clash, having picked up 11 wickets from just four T20Is.
The R Premadasa surface, known to assist turn, will mark the first time Indian batters confront him in such conditions.
“There’s nothing particularly challenging about him. He is an off-spinner, and he just bowls with a pause. At the end of the day, he’s a traditional off-break bowler, and India will manage him without much trouble,” he said.
“It’s tough to make predictions in this format, yet India are a very strong team and defeating them is no simple task,” Ganguly added.
“There’s nothing particularly challenging about him. He’s a straightforward off-spinner who adds a brief pause in his action before delivering the ball. At the end of the day, he’s a traditional off-break bowler, and India should be able to handle him comfortably,” he said.
The former skipper believes India will retain their existing combination for the Pakistan clash.
“Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep should lead the attack. I wouldn’t swap Rinku for Kuldeep, as maintaining batting depth is equally important. In my view, the current combination should remain unchanged. I’m confident India will put in a strong performance,” Ganguly concluded.