India’s selectors kept the same batting order for the third T20 international against West Indies in Indore on 11 October after Shai Hope’s 102 not out drove the visitors to a six-wicket win in Ranchi on Friday night. Kabir Singh’s sports desk said the 252-run chase was West Indies’ highest successful T20 pursuit and levelled the series 1-1 with two matches left.
Ranchi recap
India posted 249 for 5 led by Sanju Samson’s 82, but Hope and Sherfane Rutherford’s 84 off 37 overturned the total with nine balls spare, per ESPNcricinfo’s report. Roston Chase took 3 for 24 to keep India short of 260, a score coaches believed was par on a small ground.
Jasprit Bumrah’s absence with workload management left the death overs to less experienced bowlers, a decision captain Shubman Gill defended as part of a long home season.
Indore preparation
Holkar Stadium staff left a fresh black-soil strip with extra carry, hoping pace aids India’s seamers against Hope’s leg-side game. Local fans snapped tickets within hours after Ranchi’s heartbreak.
Series stakes
India still cannot afford another flat bowling phase with Hyderabad and Bengaluru to follow. West Indies may rotate spin if the Indore surface slows, but Hope’s form argues for an unchanged top order.
Weather models show a clear evening; no reserve day is scheduled for the short format. A win on Sunday would restore India’s cushion before the Diwali travel week disrupts squad logistics.
Bowling options
Selectors held an extra net session for Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar to rehearse wide yorkers against Hope’s leg-side pick-up, while spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed worked with Ravi Bishnoi on slower leg-breaks for middle overs.
West Indies camped at the same hotel as India under ICC bubble rules; both sides avoided joint press events after Ranchi’s heated finish.
Fan zones
Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association capped outdoor fan-zone capacity at eight thousand, citing Indore police guidance after Delhi security alerts. Local broadcasters planned split-screen coverage with news channels covering protests, a scheduling headache for sponsors.
Team balance
India may stick with an extra batter if dew is forecast, meaning Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh could replace a seamer. Gill said after Ranchi that death bowling plans would be simplified rather than experimental, a coded reference to wide yorker drills scheduled Saturday morning.
West Indies captain Rovman Powell praised Hope’s composure but flagged fielding lapses that cost six runs in the last over, a fixable item before Indore’s smaller boundaries.