Former India captain Sourav Ganguly downplayed the reputation of Usman Tariq, calling him a standard off-spinner who briefly pauses before delivering the ball. He expressed confidence in India’s batting lineup ahead of the T20 World Cup Group A match in Colombo, stating they should handle Tariq easily. Tariq has taken 11 wickets in just four T20 internationals, making him a noteworthy player leading up to the game on Sunday.
The pitch at R Premadasa is known for aiding spin, and this will be the first time Indian batsmen face Tariq in such conditions.
“He’s not particularly challenging. He’s just an off-spinner with a small pause in his action. Overall, he’s a traditional off-break bowler, and India will manage him well,” he mentioned.
“Making predictions in T20 is tough, but India is a strong team, and beating them isn’t easy,” Ganguly added.
He reiterated that India should keep their current lineup for the match against Pakistan.
“Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep should lead the bowling attack. I wouldn’t replace Rinku with Kuldeep, as having batting depth is also important. In my opinion, the team should stay as is. I’m confident India will perform well,” Ganguly concluded.
