IND vs WI 2022, 1st T20I: India eyes formidable start against a luckless Windies
India and Windies will lock horns in the opening ODI in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday. The visitors will be hoping for another fine start against the struggling hosts.
FollowTeam India will be in full strength and all its might as it will look to crush the Windies in its bid to record a second consecutive clean sweep in the five-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series. The series begins on Friday at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago. With less than three months remaining for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid will get around 16 games (five vs WI, five in Asia Cup (if India plays the final), three vs Australia and three vs South Africa). It would firm up its core team that would be playing unchanged heading into the mega event.
The mere thought of a first XI comprising Rohit, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik as five specialist batters in the top six could prove to be intimidating and debilitating for the opponent. It all happens at a time when a player like Virat Kohli has been failing miserably in the shortest format. Thus, doubts are being cast about his place in the XI.
The preceding England series has proven that India's white-ball players have an imposing alpha-male-like presence in the middle, even if a player like Kohli is off the chart.
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Can Deepak Hooda challenge Kohli's spot?
Therefore, the five-match series against the Windies played in three different countries (Trinidad & Tobago, St Kitts & Nevis and the USA) will give a clear picture of whether Kohli's days are invincibly over or not. Whatever little amount of T20Is he has played, Deepak Hooda has shown that he belongs to this level. He has a century opening the innings against Ireland, and in the only T20I that he played against England, he looked decent before being forced to relinquish his spot to Kohli.
With Hooda's tight off-breaks adding to his skill-set, at least three to four suitable matches in this series will undoubtedly increase Rohit's headache and put Kohli under pressure when he returns for the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Number three will be the only position in contention regarding India's batting order for the T20WC.
The other factor will be wicketkeeper-opener vice-captain KL Rahul's return to the side and where to fit the prolific Indian Premier League (IPL) performer. However, his way of constructing a T20 innings could be debated.
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Rohit-Pant pair could be the way forward in T20Is
In terms of sheer numbers, the Pant-Rohit opening pair didn't fire against England. However, stats do not always provide the larger picture. The left-right combination has shown the intent of dominating, and with the kind of range both possess, it could prove to be a nightmare for any opposition bowling attack on any day.
The duo could be even more dangerous on the gummy Caribbean tracks where spinners could operate in the Powerplay. As far as the Australian wickets are concerned, their ability to play horizontal bat shots effortlessly would keep them in good stead.
Will Ravichandran Ashwin get a look-in for the T20WC?
With Ravindra Jadeja's fitness being an issue and his growing focus on being a batting all-rounder, Ashwin is still India's best slow bowler in the Powerplay overs, thanks to his variations, which include the lethal carrom ball.
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There is Kuldeep Yadav in the squad and Ravi Bishnoi, who has been a glorified traveller since Yuzvendra Chahal found his amulet back. Chahal's place is non-negotiable in the opening XI, and all-rounder Washington Sundar will be back in the set-up any day, which effectively makes it the final chance for Ashwin to stake his claim for a place in the playing XI.
Choice of third specialist seamer/pacer to join Jasprit Bumrah-Bhuvneshwar Kumar
If they remain injury-free, pacers Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar are sure starters in the playing XI for the T20WC when India meets arch-rivals Pakistan in the opening game on October 23. With all-rounder Hardik Pandya also bowling in complete flow, India would be looking to finalise their third specialist pacer. If pacer Harshal Patel does well in this series, there will be a lot of pressure on fellow speedster Deepak Chahar, who will likely be back for the Asia Cup.
West Indies looking for improvements
Boasting a few T20 specialists and hard-hitters, the hosts will likely go with the same squad, including Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, and Rovman Powell, the same side that defeated Bangladesh 2-0 in the three-match series back home earlier this month. Myers and skipper Pooran are also in good touch with the bat, which could give the Windies the right amount of confidence to provide India with formidable combat.
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SQUADS
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh.
West Indies (Potential): Nicholas Pooran (c), Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Keacy Carty, Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales.
Match details
Date and day: July 29, 2022 (Friday)
Venue: Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago
Time: 8:00 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): DD Sports
Where to watch (Online): FanCode
(With inputs from PTI)
