It’s do-or-die for India

Handed a rude shock in the opening game, the Indian youngsters will have to raise their game in the second Twenty20 International to stay afloat in the three-match series against Zimbabwe, here on Monday. It was the first time that the young team were tested on the tour and they faltered at key moments to suffer an unexpected loss.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni failed to get his team over the line in the last over but equally culpable were the batsmen who got out at key moments after getting starts.

Manish Pandey made a fluent 48 but like debutant Mandeep Singh, he would have loved to carry on and take the side through.

With Dhoni at the other end and India needing eight off the final over, Axar Patel got out to a loose shot to make life tougher the visitors.

The second string squad were picked to test the team’s bench strength and the youngsters had the ideal platform to perform in the back of a resounding series win in the preceding three ODIs. However, they wilted under pressure when challenged for the first time in the series.

While the batsmen did not show composure required at the highest level, the bowlers, who were given opportunity for the first time on the tour, disappointed.

Credit should go to Zimbabwe for their performance after a humiliating loss in ODIs but they were allowed by the erring Indian bowlers to post 170.

All-rounder Rishi Dhawan, representing India for the first time since the Australia tour and making his T20 International debut, put up an ordinary effort leaking 42 runs in four overs.

Pressure was also on pacer Jaydev Unadkat, who was in India colours for the first time in almost three years. Making his debut in the format, Unadkat was not consistent with his line and length and paid the price for it.

It remains to be seen whether he gets another game after ending with figures of 0/43 or Barinder Sran and Dhawal Kulkarni come back to bowl with the new ball, pushing Dhawan out of the eleven too.

Leggie Yuzvendra Chahal, who impressed in ODIs, also had an off day and he would be aiming to bounce back strongly. Ahead of the must-win game, Dhoni warned his men to not repeat the same mistakes in the remaining games.