'This is a good mix' - Former cricketer urges BCCI to retain left-right combination in top order ahead of West Indies clash in T20 World Cup 2026

A former cricketer backs India’s left-right top-order mix and urges BCCI to stick with the combination before the crucial West Indies clash.

Team India (Image Credit: BCCI)

Sanjay Bangar, India's former cricketer, urged the BCCI to go wth the same combination that they had in the previous game ahead of their upcoming clash against West Indies on March 1 in Kolkata. In an important clash, having a left-right combination on the top order will throw the opponents off track and force them to make bowling changes accordingly.

IN the last game against Zimbabwe, Sanju Samson opened the innings along with Abhishek Sharma. While he didn't score much runs, the start was impactful. Hence, there have been talks about retaining the same line up for the crucial clash against the Caribbean nation.

"With a right-hander at the top, India are depriving the opposition of the opportunity to use off-spin as much. It's not necessarily that off-spinners are causing a lot of problems to left-handers. It's just that the batters are trying to force the issue against them and, in that process, getting out," Sanjay Bangar told Jio Hotstar.

"This is a good mix because if you have three right-handers in the top seven, you can maintain the right-left combination and deprive the opposition of using four overs of off-spin," he added.

Can India win against West Indies in Kolkata?

India are undoubtedly one of the best sides in the world. However, their performance has been quite upsetting against South Africa, that somehow threw them off the track. But a win against the West Indies will help them qualify for the semi-finals. For that, India will have to strategise against West Indies, especially the batting line up that goes upto No. 9.

Apart from that, if the Indian team get the solid start, the rest can be handled in the middle overs, because of players like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and others. India's bowling has also taken a hit in the middle overs. Hence, it will be interesting to see how the game goes.

Where to watch India vs West Indies match?

Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs West Indies match on March 1 online on JioHotstar, via OTTplay Premium.

Also read: Ishan Kishan or Sanju Samson: Who should open for India?

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