A blip or something more? It is difficult to sum up how Team India would feel about that loss in the second ODI against the West Indies in the absence of two of their stalwarts, skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Head coach Rahul Dravid said that this series is being used for experimentation for the team to have options in the future ahead of the World Cup and that a loss or two here and there won’t matter much but if they walk the talk, are they willing to keep both Rohit and Kohli out again or now that the series stands at 1-1, all that said will become null and void?
That’s the biggest reason that has been holding this team from being where it deserves to be. No consistency in selection, thought process and tactics and mind you, this is a World Cup year and the team is still hampered by the absence of players like Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah who clearly are the first-choice players in the squad.
To avoid an emergency unlike the last time, the management is testing the backup options and Ishan Kishan in two opportunities has done well but questions continue to be raised on Suryakumar Yadav, who is yet to flourish but Dravid and Co. have been open that they will give him enough chances. With Surya set to stay, it will be Sanju Samson who might have to sacrifice his spot once again given both Rohit and Kohli are likely to come back.
Apart from Sanju, it feels like Hardik Pandya too might sit out of the next game given he has to play five T20Is within the next 10 days with Axar Patel to retain his spot. Another change the Indian team might look towards could be in the pace bowling department. Since Jaydev Unadkat will be tried for some time, he might as well play against a weaker opposition like West Indies rather than having to use him directly in the Asia Cup.
India’s likely playing XI for third ODI against West Indies: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat/Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar
