Ahmedabad: A dominant India will be looking to complete a series sweep against the West Indies in the third and final match of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium Friday. In the ongoing series, India have been bailed out by the bowlers while West Indies haven’t been able to get the desired fight from their batters.
With Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer out of their isolation period after recovering from Covid-19, expect India to make further experiments now that they have an unassailable lead in the series. If Dhawan returns, it will be India’s new opening pair after Rohit Sharma-Ishan Kishan in the first match and then Rishabh Pant becoming a surprise partner for Sharma in the second match.
Virat Kohli will be itching to get a big knock after two lean showings while Suryakumar Yadav will be aiming to carry forward his good show in the middle-order apart from KL Rahul making runs in the middle overs.
In terms of bowling, India have done well to take wickets in a heap in the middle overs and make some strikes in the first ten overs, something which was lacking in the series against South Africa.
Prasidh Krishna has been impressive in both matches, especially in the second one. With his hit-the-deck ability combined with hard lengths broke the back of West Indies’ batting order. Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur have supported him well while spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar have been handy.
For West Indies’ biggest headache has been the lack of contributions from the batters. After being skittled for 176 in the first ODI, the visitors were unable to chase down 237.
In both matches, the lower-order batters tried to get the team back in the match but couldn’t do so. Their bowlers, especially Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph and Akeal Hosein, put up a good show but would like for their batters to stand up to the occasion.
Overall, India will like to tick some boxes in the dead rubber while West Indies will be aiming for a better show with the bat to gain some crucial Super League points too.
Squads:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (VC), Mayank Agarwal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Deepak Hooda, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shikhar Dhawan
West Indies: Kieron Pollard (c), Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shai Hope (wk), Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran (VC), Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith and Hayden Walsh Jr.
