WI vs IND: 2nd ODI Preview – India seek series win with one eye on WC prep

West Indies and India will square off in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on July 29, Saturday. Having won the first game by a comfortable margin, the Men in Blue would be hoping to grab a win in the forthcoming game to clinch a series win early on.

The hosts, on the other hand, would be looking forward to putting up an improved performance.In the first game, Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja were phenomenal with the ball, picking up four and three wickets respectively. Pacers Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur, and Mukesh Sharma picked up one wicket each as India dished the Windies out for mere 114 runs.

Skipper Shai Hope was the top performer for his side, but his knock eventually went in vain.The Indian batting lineup was completely shuffled during the chase. Skipper Rohit Sharma, who is the regular opener for the side, walked out to bat late at number seven. Youngsters Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill opened the innings, while Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shardul Thakur batted ahead of Rohit.

Notably, Virat did not walk out to bat as Ishan Kishan’s fifty helped India get over the finish line. But the Men in Blue lost a handful of wickets while chasing a paltry target of 115, and hence the batting unit will have to work harder in the upcoming contest.

Pitch Conditions:

The pitch at the Kensington Oval saw spinners getting a massive advantage over pacers. The surface has assisted the batters immensely in the past and has produced some high-scoring games. Keeping the past records in mind, the skipper winning the toss would likely opt for a chase.

Venue details: Kensington Oval, Barbados

Last ODI match at the venue: WI- 114/10 (23 overs) | IND- 118/5 (22.5 overs)

Here’s the probable playing XI for West Indies vs India clash:

West Indies: After suffering a heartbreaking exit from the ODI World Cup race, West Indies’ wounds worsened when they lost the first ODI against India. Nevertheless, they would be hoping to make a comeback and give a befitting reply to the loss.

Probable XI: Shai Hope (c & wk), Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Alick Athanaze, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Yannic Cariah, Dominic Drakes, Jayden Seales, Gudakesh Motie

India: The Men in Blue faced issues in the batting department, as the gamble of shuffling the lineup did not quite work for them. The fans would be eager to see Rohit and Kohli play at their regular batting positions in order for the team to clinch a victory and prepare well for the next major assignments.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar