WI vs IND: 5 players to watch out for in ODI series
After the end of the two-match Test series, India and West Indies are all set to lock horns in a three-match ODI series starting from July 27. The series is going to be extremely important for both teams as it will serve as a preparation for India for the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled to take place in India. On the other hand, West Indies will look to groom young talent after their failure to qualify for the World Cup in the World Cup qualifiers. As the two teams prepare themselves to lock horns, let’s take a look at the top five players to watch out for in the series:
1. Sanju Samson
The wicketkeeper batter is making a comeback in the ODI team having last played against New Zealand in November 2022. With Rishabh Pant on the sidelines due to injury, Samson has a great opportunity to impress the selectors with his performances and make a strong case for his selection in the ODI World Cup 2023 squad.
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad
Gaikwad had a good season in IPL 2023 as he played several crucial knocks for Chennai Super Kings. He further had a memorable Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022-23 where he finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the season with 660 runs to his name. Having played just one ODI in his career so far, the 26-year-old will be eager to make the most of the opportunity and get noticed by the team management.
3. Umran Malik
The speedster did not have a great outing in the IPL 2023, however, he has impressed everyone in his short ODI career. Malik has 13 wickets to his name from eight matches and would love to bowl on the challenging tracks of West Indies. The fast bowler could turn out to be India’s X factor in the upcoming World Cup but he will first have to get in the reckoning by performing consistently in the lead-up to the tournament.
4. Alzarri Joseph
The speedster is one of the rising stars of West Indies cricket as he has 101 wickets in 61 ODIs at an average of 27.40. He was the joint-highest wicket-taker for his team in the recent World Cup qualifiers with eight scalps to his name. The 26-year-old will look to make amends for his team’s below-par outings in the qualifiers by bowling his team to victory in the ODI series.
5. Kyle Mayers
The West Indian batter had a good season in the IPL where he amassed 379 runs in 13 innings. However, he failed to leave a mark in the World Cup Qualifiers where he finished with just 82 runs from five innings. Mayers has had several notable performances in his short international career and he will be eager to bounce back after a flop show in Zimbabwe.
