India vs West Indies: India begin road to 2023 World Cup under Rohit Sharma in their 1000th ODI

India will begin their journey on the road to the 2023 World Cup, which will be played at home next year, in their landmark 1000tth ODI when they meet the West Indies in the first of a 3-match series in Ahmedabad. All eyes will be on Rohit Sharma as he returns to the side after recovering from a hamstring injury. He will be leading India as their full-time ODI captain for the first time since he was handed the responsibility in December last year.

Rohit will reunite with head coach Rahul Dravid with whom he worked during their T20I series win over New Zealand last year. Skipper Rohit and the celebrated head coach need to get to work straight away as India will be out to prove that the 0-3 drubbing in South Africa last month was just an aberration.

India were haunted by their familiar middle-order woes in their ODI series defeat in South Africa. Barring Rishabh Pant’s 85, India’s middle-order did not manage to get big contributions from the middle-order. While Virat Kohli hit two fifties, he was not able to pish on for a big score, the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer failed in the lower middle-order.

KL Rahul is expected to be back in the middle-order but he will not be available for the 2nd game. India will not have Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer as they all tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week upon their arrival in Ahmedabad.

The absence of Shreyas gives Suryakumar Yadav an opportunity to prove his mettle in the middle-order. With Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 and doing the job of the accumulator, India will be more than happy if Suryakumar, who is known to play at a brisk pace, finds his own in the middle-order.

Virat Kohli, meanwhile, will be hoping to end his long wait for an international hundred. India needs their former skipper to get those big scores consistently once again as the middle-order needs an in-form Kohli. The former captain was seen having chats with Rahul Dravid at the nets in the lead up to the ODI series.

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant at a training session in Ahmedabad (PTI Photo)

India added Ishan Kishan, Shahrukh Khan and Mayank Agarwal to the ODI squad after the positive Covid-19 cases but captain Rohit confirmed that the Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper will open with him in the first ODI. The young wicketkeeper, who hit a fifty on his ODI debut, will be looking to make the most of the opportunity that will come his way.

All-rounder Deepak Hooda was also named in the ODI squad and it will be interesting to see if he gets an opportunity as Rohit conceded that India are looking for a finisher in the batting line-up.

WILL KULDEEP REUNITE WITH CHAHAL?

In terms of bowling, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, is back to the ODI squad, and would most probably be in the playing XI along with his seasoned partner Yuzvendra Chahal. The 27-year-old Kuldeep played his last ODI against Sri Lanka in July 2021, and recently recovered after undergoing surgery.

But the team management has included young googly bowler Ravi Bishnoi in the squad, and it would be interesting to see if he gets a game right away.

In the absence of key pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who have been rested, the bowling unit is expected to be led by Shardul Thakur, who shone in the Johannesburg Test against South Africa. It is the best chance for Thakur, whose prowess with the bat was on display in the ODI series against the Proteas, to cement his place in the side.

Also, along with him, the series provides a chance for young bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna and Avesh Khan to step up and stake a permanent claim with two years left for the World Cup.

CAN WEST INDIES STUN INDIA?

Meanwhile, West Indies would come into the context after their confidence-boosting T20 series win over England, although the format is entirely different. The team from the Caribbean possess a power-hitter Nicholas Pooran, who can turn the game on its head. He would also look to impress the franchises before the IPL auction. He would however need support from others.

Also, the role of skipper Kieron Pollard and experienced all-rounder Jason Holder could be the difference on a day. Pollard and his men would be more than keen to spoil India’s party in their marquee clash.

INDIA VS WEST INDIES, 1st ODI SQUADS

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Mayank Agarwal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Shahrukh Khan.

West Indies: Kieron Pollard (Captain), Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Nicolas Pooran, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepard, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.