India vs West Indies: The series is on the line. India take on the West Indies in the ODI series decider on Tuesday. India, who have not lost an ODI series to West Indies since 2006, face a stiff task to register a win after their move to rest skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli backfired in the second game in Barbados. But will Kohli be available for the game is the biggest question?
When in Trinidad 🇹🇹… 🤝#TeamIndia | #WIvIND | @DJBravo47 pic.twitter.com/dBublUKGGz
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 1, 2023
Reports of Kohli not travelling with the team to Trinidad gained momentum through Monday. This was after eagle-eyed fans questioned his absence in a video shared by BCCI at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba. Only Kohli remained absent in it, and speculations of him missing the third ODI was rife.
Struggling Suryakumar and Samson to get a game
India head coach Rahul Dravid had said that after the six-wicket loss on Saturday, his team are looking at the bigger picture ahead of next month’s Asia Cup and the upcoming World Cup and will have another game to see the kind of impact the younger players can make in a must-win match.
So he will be hoping the experiment of trying out Sanju Samson and Surykumar Yadav in the middle-order works when they face the Windies. Suryakumar, who is struggling to make his all-round game work in the 50-over format, will be looking to bat long and make a match-winning contribution.
Samson, who could not make it count, will look at the series decider as a golden opportunity. He will likely bat at number three like he did in the second ODI.
Malik to make it count, Chahal to remain on bench
In the bowling department, tearaway fast bowler Umran Malik has a point to prove after going wicketless so far in the series. His pace surely provides India the X factor but he needs to improve on the skill and accuracy front.
The surface at the Brian Lara Stadium is expected to provide a decent amount of help for spinners. Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav has been India’s stand out bowler, leaving no room in the side for his good friend Yuzvendra Chahal, who is likely to be seen in action only in the following T20 series.
India vs West Indies Predicted XI:
IND Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar
WI Probable XI: Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope (c & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Keacy Carty, Romario Shepherd, Yannic Cariah, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales
SQUADS:
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.
West Indies: Shai Hope (captain), Rovman Powell (vice-captain), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Dominic Drakes, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas.
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