IND vs WI Predicted XIs: Will Rinku Singh perform at Eden Gardens in semi-final battle?

Sunday’s clash at the Eden Gardens is as high as it gets. India and the West Indies, two of the most decorated sides in T20 cricket, go head-to-head in what is effectively a knockout match, a semi-final berth against England in Mumbai on March 5 the prize for the winner.

The path to this point was straightforward enough. West Indies stumbled against South Africa, India swept Zimbabwe in emphatic fashion and this Super 8s Group 1 fixture suddenly took on a completely different colour. Win and you’re done. Lose and you’re done.

Before the cricket even begins, a compelling human story ensues. Rinku Singh returned to the Indian unit after leaving to attend his father’s funeralKhanchand Singh who died after a long battle with liver cancer. India Today had earlier confirmed his return to the camp, but with Rinku missing from training on Saturday, serious questions remain as to whether he will be ready to play a part in such a tough match.

INDIA: THE PIECES ARE THERE, BUT SOME CRACKS

The bat has finally found its rhythm and the timing couldn’t be better. India’s 256 for 4 against Zimbabwe was not only their highest total in the tournament but the highest of the entire competition so far. Every batter from the top six came through, which is exactly what the management was crying out for.

Sanju Samson’s return to the top buoyed the innings from the first ball. His 24 might not look like much on paper, but the intent he brought set the tone for everything that followed. Abhishek Sharma, who went through three innings without troubling the batsmen, seized the platform and delivered a much-needed half-century. Ishan Kishan provides the left-right dynamic at three alongside Abhishek and Suryakumar Yadav at four remains the x-factor capable of changing the game in the matter of overs.

Tilak Varma has quietly become one of India’s most important players in this format. Freed from the burden of anchoring the innings and allowed to play his natural game at number six, the 22-year-old looked completely different. His 44 not out off just 16 balls against Zimbabwe was breathtaking and he is expected to fill that role again on Sunday.

The concern lies with the ball. Varun Chakravarthy was far from his best, conceding 47 against South Africa and 35 against Zimbabwe without offering the mystery and control that made him such a powerful weapon.

The management now faces a real dilemma – stick with Chakravarthy or Kuldeep Yadav, who has only featured in one game, an opportunity to stake his claim. Both are intimately familiar with Eden Gardens from their time with Kolkata Knight Riders, which doesn’t make the decision any easier.

Shivam Dube’s bowling also remains an issue. Giving up 46 runs in two overs against Zimbabwe, including a chaotic 10-ball over with four wides and two no-balls, is not the form you want going into a knock-out game. On a pitch with pace and delivery, a West Indies batting line-up of this quality will not have to ask twice.
Bumrah, Arshdeep and Pandya have been constants throughout and India will rely heavily on their combined 12 overs to carry out the bowling attack.

WEST INDIES: A UNIT BUILT FOR BIG OCCASIONS

There’s a reason West Indies entered this tournament as one of the favourites, and nothing in the Super 8s has changed that assessment. Their plan is simple but devastatingly effective – solid foundations in the first half, then all-out attack when it matters. Five straight wins before South Africa’s intervention tells its own story.

What makes the West Indies particularly dangerous is the depth running through their line-up. Brandon King and Shai Hope lay the groundwork, Shimron Hetmyer’s switch to the three brings early offensive dimension, and Powell and Rutherford provide firepower to finish. The fact that Romario Shepherd can come in at nine and produce a game-changing fifty, as he did against South Africa, speaks volumes for how well this side is built.

With the Eden surface likely to offer some dryness, Akeal Hosein could return to the equation. His ability to operate in all phases of the innings gives West Indies a flexibility that few other spin options provide.

Along with Gudakesh Motie, the pace of Matthew Forde and the off-spin of Roston Chase, this is a bowling attack with variety, depth and the ability to exploit any surface.

Darren Sammy knows what it’s like to win at Eden Gardens. He stood on this ground ten years ago with the T20 World Cup in his hands. As head coach, he wants that feeling again now, and his team has all the tools to get it.