With the ODI World Cup in 2023 less than four months away, India captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid will be looking to use the three-match ODI series against West Indies, which begins on Thursday at Bridgetown in Barbados, as an opportunity to test some players and assign roles and responsibilities to the team’s more experienced players.
On the other hand, the hosts, West Indies, who missed out on the World Cup, would be eager to give some young people opportunities to help them prepare for the next cycle. Without seasoned campaigners like Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran, there would be a great potential for a few young people to seize the moment and establish their worth.
As the two teams prepare to face off in the first ODI at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on July 27, Team India enters the series as the favourite. Let’s examine the potential playing combinations and the probable starting XI.
ODI 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙔! 👌 👌#TeamIndia | #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/tYf0wGq7tR
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 26, 2023
Suryakumar Yadav
The T20 expert has produced some impressive runs in the shorter format, but he is yet to establish himself in the 50-over game. Suryakumar has played in 23 ODIs thus far, averaging 24.05 and scoring just two half-centuries. Given that Shreyas Iyer is now more physically fit, this could be the 32-year-old’s final chance to showcase his abilities in this game edition.
‘Kul-cha’ return
With Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav in the lineup, it might be the perfect chance for captain Rohit Sharma to team up the seasoned duo. When the wrist spinners played together, they were incredibly successful. However, the team management tried different combinations as a result of Kuldeep’s decline in performance, and the pair were split up. Rohit might be persuaded to use this combo again given the favourable ball-turning and gripping conditions of the World Cup in India.
The pacer from Jammu and Kashmir has undoubtedly been Indian cricket’s most intriguing potential. Any Indian supporter will enjoy watching him bowl aggressively. Malik’s name will be discussed even though it is uncertain if he will be selected for the World Cup. In the international competition, just a few teams have bowlers as rapid as him. His inclusion will provide the Indian attack’s bowling lineup an additional bowling option.
Get a game, Umran Malik
The pacer from Jammu and Kashmir has undoubtedly been Indian cricket’s most intriguing potential. Any Indian supporter will enjoy watching him bowl aggressively. Malik’s name will be discussed even though it is uncertain if he will be selected for the World Cup. In the international competition, just a few teams have bowlers as rapid as him. His inclusion will provide the Indian attack’s bowling lineup an additional bowling option.
India Predicted XI: Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav.
West Indies Predicted XI: Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (C & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Alzarri Joseph, Oshane Thomas, and Jayden Seales make up the West Indies’ predicted starting lineup.
Squads:
West Indies squad: Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Oshane Thomas, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair, Dominic Drakes, Yannic Cariah, Shai Hope (w/c), Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Alick Athanaze, Rovman Powell, Keacy Carty, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Dominic Drakes,
India Squad:Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Jaydev Unadkat, Mukesh Kumar, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, and Ruturaj Gaikwa
