India look to seal series against WI, eye on Rohit-Virat partnership

After having won the first ODI against West Indies, the Rohit Sharma-led side will now look to win the second game and seal the three-match series with one game to go.

India and West Indies will lock horns in the second ODI on Wednesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Rohit and boys sealed a comfortable six-wicket win in the first ODI and the Men in Blue did not have to break a sweat. Chasing 176 in the first ODI, Rohit Sharma’s blitz with the bat helped India stay ahead in the run-chase throughout, and in the end, the hosts completed a comfortable six-wicket win. However, poor shot-selection by Virat Kohli and Ishan Kishan left a lot to ponder.

It has been two years since Virat last scored a century and in the first ODI against Windies, it looked like Virat was a bit arrogant in his playing style and he played aerial shots quite early in his innings. He eventually got out hooking a bouncer and he just managed to score eight runs.

Kishan managed to score 28 but there was no need for him to play a slog sweep off the bowling of Akeal Hosein when India was cruising into the match. If not for Rohit’s 60, India could have had a difficult time in chasing 177. Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda played unbeaten cameos and with the return of KL Rahul in the second ODI, it needs to be seen who the management drops.

Bowling was sought after in the first ODI after Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal spun a web over the visitors. Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj also impressed with the ball and hosts would hope for the same to continue.

Talking about West Indies, only Jason Holder and Fabien Allen showed some fight with the bat and the visitors would hope for more runs from the top-order. Alzarri Joseph impressed with the ball and if the Windies manage to post more runs, the visitors have the bowling to cause headaches in the Indian camp.

India batters Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer have tested negative for COVID-19 and hence the duo has been cleared to resume training.

Sources in the know of developments confirmed to ANI that Dhawan and Iyer have been cleared to train. “Yes, Shikhar and Shreyas have tested negative for COVID-19 and they have been cleared to train. Ruturaj Gaikwad is still in isolation,” the source pointed.

Team India will have a training session on Tuesday evening and both Dhawan and Iyer are set to be a part of that session.

Earlier, before the first ODI against West Indies, Shreyas Iyer, Dhawan, Ruturaj, and Navdeep Saini tested positive for COVID-19.

As a result, all these players missed the first ODI against West Indies. The Rohit-led squad defeated Windies by six wickets in the first ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

India and West Indies will now lock horns in the second ODI on Wednesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

SQUADS: India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mayank Agarwal, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan.

WEST INDIES: Kieron Pollard (c), Kemar Roach, Nkrumah Bonner, Brandon King, Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shephard, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.