After finishing runners-up at the Champions Trophy, India travel to the West Indies for a short limited-overs series. Ahead of the opening ODI, here’s a predicted XI which they could play for the ODI matches in the Caribbean.
Shikhar Dhawan
India’s best batsman from the Champions Trophy will once have the responsibility of getting the side off to a good start. The wickets in England were excellent for batting but going by what we have seen in the West Indies in recent years, it will be interesting to see how he adapts to the slow nature of the wickets over there.
He showed in England that he could cream the fast bowlers on good, true wicket. Can he do the same on pitches where the ball does not come onto the bat remains to be seen.
Rishabh Pant
India have the option of opening with Ajinkya Rahane, but instead, should give Rishabh Pant a go. Why? Because that is the only way to know whether a regular opener like him is suited at the top of the order, in case an emergency case occurs.
Not to also forget that, he also opened for India in the Under-19 World Cup and was mighty successful. How Pant develops in the next 12 months or so will be critical for the future of Indian cricket.
Virat Kohli(Captain)
The lynchpin of the batting unit. Kohli looked in excellent touch in the Champions Trophy and will need to carry that form into this tour, particularly in the absence of Rohit Sharma at the top of the order.
The West Indies bowlers may target him outside the off stump as it was an area of his game, where he was caught napping in the game against Sri Lanka and he will have to be careful in that regard in the matches.
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh first came to the Caribbean in 2002 and 15 years later, he is here again for his third tour. The next couple of months will be important for the left-hander in the sense it could well decide where his limited-overs career was headed.
If he does not find a way to score runs in the Number 4 slot, then India could well have to find a role, where he could churn out consistent scores.
MS Dhoni
Dhoni will need to give the side with the solidity it looks for from him. While he may not be the player that he was a few years ago, he certainly has the capabilities to build an innings and explode right at the end.
India will need him to play such type of knocks during the course of the tour.
Kedar Jadhav
The Pune cricketer, who has been given the finishing duties, will hope to get a chance to bat on the tour. Jadhav was sensational for India in the limited-overs series win over England at home, but post that, has done little of note.
His off-spin with the ball in hand could also come in handy for Virat Kohli.
Hardik Pandya
The all-rounder India must groom. Pandya has the talent to both shine with the bat and with the ball and it remains to be seen, if can do deliver more regularly in the coming matches.
With the bat, he has shown a great penchant for hitting big sixes. With the ball, he has shown to be an able second change bowler. it all now depends as to how he brings an element of consistency to his game, in the next few months.
Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja had a poor final against Pakistan, but on slow West Indies wickets, he could be a handful. The Saurashtra cricketer will be important for The Men In Blue in the middle-overs and Kohli will depend on him to pick up wickets.
Can he recover from that horrid day in London and deliver? We will know soon.
Bhuvneshvar Kumar
India’s best bowler in the Champions Trophy. Kumar was exceptional both at the front end of the innings as well as the back end of the innings. His ability to bowl yorkers at the death has made him an important member of this side and with Jasprit Bumrah, being rested, he will have to step to the plate, at the final stages of an innings.
Kuldeep Yadav
The mystery man and one, who could be a trump card. India dearly need to groom a wrist spinner, who could get them a handful on wickets, that don’t turn much. The Chinaman element could also be the unpredictability factor in the attack and could fetch the team a lot of success with the ball.
Mohammad Shami
Like Rahane, Mohammad Shami too did not get a game in the Champions Trophy, although he was excellent in the warm-up matches. If the Bengal pacer can maintain his fitness, he could well be a real asset to this attack since he ca swing the ball at a good pace.
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