India within the field seat to seal ODI sequence towards West Indies
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The first ODI in Barbados lasted all of 45.5 overs. What did we actually study from Thursday’s fixture? Nothing new. Despite the absence of a variety of a senior seamers, India skittled West Indies for 114. They have been so dominant that they did not want Virat Kohli with the bat. They barely wanted Rohit Sharma with the bat. They may afford to demote Kohli to No.8 and bump Shardul Thakur as much as No.6.
As for West Indies, their freefall continues. On a monitor that had some juice for each seamers and spinners, their batters struggled. They proceed to drop catches, one thing that cost them a spot in the 2023 ODI World Cup. They additionally must deal with the unavailability of key gamers. Hours after West Indies have been blasted out by India in Barbados, Nicholas Pooran led MI New York previous Washington Freedom in Dallas in the MLC Eliminator. Left-arm fingerspinner Akeal Hosein was in motion for Washington in the identical match. Alzarri Joseph is accessible for West Indies choice, however the crew administration had opted to relaxation him within the first ODI and handle his workload.
At the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, coach Daren Sammy insisted that he had inherited this squad. This is now his probability to go away an imprint. Sammy has efficiently rehabilitated St Lucia Kings within the CPL, nevertheless it will not be as simple doing the identical with a world cricket crew, particularly in the course of a sequence towards India. In the absence of Pooran, it is as much as Shimron Hetmyer to step up and counter India’s left-arm spinners.
For India, the second ODI is one other alternative to shake issues up within the lead-up to the World Cup. Will Sanju Samson get a glance in? Can Umran Malik slot into Prasidh Krishna’s function because the enforcer within the center overs? Can India additionally match Yuzvendra Chahal of their XI and reunite him with Kuldeep Yadav?
Form information
West Indies LLWLL (final 5 accomplished ODIs, most up-to-date first)
India WLLWW
There’s lots to love about Alick Athanaze. He has a stable approach, can play some fluid drives, and can be sharp within the slip cordon. More runs towards India, this time in ODIs, and within the following CPL, the place he’s set to make his debut for Barbados Royals, may doubtlessly make him the brand new face of a West Indies facet that’s in transition.
India are additionally in transition and in the absence of Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar made his ODI debut and got here away with the wicket of Athanaze. In the longest format, Mukesh can relentlessly probe away exterior off, and may equally take a look at batters exterior off in white-ball cricket. But that does not imply he is a one trick pony. He can nail yorkers with the outdated ball, one thing that was on show throughout his first IPL stint with Delhi Capitals earlier this 12 months.
With Rovman Powell notably weak to wristspin – and spin generally – West Indies would possibly think about bringing in Keacy Carty, who has innings development – and reconstruction – expertise in ODI cricket. With Joseph’s workload being managed and with Jayden Seales simply making his method again from knee surgical procedure, Oshane Thomas may get a recreation in some unspecified time in the future on this sequence.
West Indies (possible): 1 Brandon King, 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Shai Hope (capt & wk), 5 Rovman Powell/Keacy Carty, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Dominic Drakes, 9 Yannic Cariah, 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Jayden Seales/Alzarri Joseph/Oshane Thomas
Samson’s exclusion was the key speaking level within the ODI sequence opener. It stays to be seen if India can discover room for him of their XI and provides him a good run within the lead-up to the house World Cup.
India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Sanju Samson/Ishan Kishan (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Umran Malik, 11 Mukesh Kumar
Both Rohit and Shai Hope have been stunned by how the Barbados pitch performed on Thursday. The seamers obtained encouraging carry whereas the spinners extracted flip – even with the brand new ball. If the identical pitch is rolled out on Saturday, each groups may think about taking part in an additional spinner. The climate did not interrupt the primary match, however the forecast for the second is gloomier, with 50% probability of rain.