India vs West Indies: Depleted visitors favourites in three-match ODI series – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Amidst the furore around the irrelevance and scrapping of the ODI format, India will take on West Indies in yet another three-match series in the Caribbean islands starting on 22 July, Friday.

India have already qualified for the 2023 World Cup, being the hosts. It has been five days since the Men in Blue played their last ODI in the other part of the world, yet they will sock up their feet in an out-of-context ODI series. However, the five-day break shall be considered to be too good, looking at their earlier opponents England who played South Africa just a day after the final ODI.

India have sent a team that would normally warm the bench if the first-choice players were playing but even the bench looks solid to pose hosts a stiff challenge. More so considering the dire state the Men in Maroon have been in recently in the once prestigious format.

The Nicholas Pooran-led side lost 0 – 3 to Bangladesh in the recently concluded series. India, on the other hand, are coming on the back of a well-fought 2 – 1 win against England. Despite them resting as many as six players that featured against England, they will be favourites against West Indies.

This will be an important opportunity for the Indian backup players to perform well and create more selection questions in the minds of team management. The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson, and Avesh Khan are expected to get enough match time. Skipper Shikhar Dhawan will also look to get back to form and extend his run at the international level, in an otherwise not promising future. India might see debut cap being handed to a few fast bowlers

Also Read: Shikhar Dhawan on cusp of overtaking Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni in elite list

West Indies will look to improve their dismal ODI record in the current year. Since 2021, nine out of 12 times, they have been dismissed before completion of 50 overs in the first innings.

Captain Pooran and coach Phil Simmons have asked the team to bat out 50 overs to compete. “We have to bat out 50 overs and we have to put innings, partnerships together. Somebody always has to be looking to score a hundred to hold the team together,” Simmons said. The hosts will however be boosted by the return of their star all-rounder Jason Holder.

Team News:

India: Ravindra Jadeja was earlier named Dhawan’s deputy. However, he will be addressing his knee injury and is not expected to play the ODIs.

Probable XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad/ Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan/ Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj.

West Indies: Jason Holder is back in the side and might replace Keemo Paul who sustained a hamstring injury during the final ODI against Bangladesh.

Probable XI: Shai Hope (vc & wk), Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran (c), Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales.

Squads:

India: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.

West Indies: Nicholas Pooran (c), Shai Hope (vc & wk), Shamarh Brooks, Kyle Mayers, Keacy Carty, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell.

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