How India Vs West Indies could be a lop-sided affair?

By Chetan Narula

Take one look at West Indies’ ODI squad and there is no room for doubt that another mismatched series is on the cards. It may be too early to predict a 5-0 scoreline, but India’s dominance in this five-match ODI series starting in Guwahati on Sunday is assured. What can the hosts gain from this expectedly lop-sided contest?

MIDDLE-ORDER SOLUTION
Captain Virat Kohli likes to chop and change his sides with alarming regularity. Despite this consistent experimentation across formats, he hasn’t found a satisfactory solution to India’s No. 4 conundrum. With only eight months (or 18 ODIs) to go for the 2019 World Cup, you would be wrong to assume that the team management might have zeroed in on a couple of names.


As recently as Asia Cup, India had Dinesh Karthik batting in the middleorder. Karthik enjoyed a lengthy run during the Asia Cup (in September) scoring at 48.33 in four innings at numbers three and four. Yet, he has been left out of first two ODIs against West Indies. It’s in keeping with further evaluation of prospects, for the selectors think Ambati Rayudu (175 runs in six innings in Asia Cup) and Manish Pandey (just one match in Asia Cup) deserve more chances. With Kohli back,and Rohit Sharma-Shikhar Dhawan in great form, will they even get enough opportunities throughout this fivematch series? It is anybody’s guess.


FITTING IN PANT
A further question is regarding Rishabh Pant’s entry in the ODI arena. Through an impressive IPL 2018, and some noticeable performances in Test cricket, there had been vociferous calls for this move. The selectors took their time, for it is not always easy to include a keeper in the fielding mix. But Hardik Pandya’s absence owing to injury allowed them to finally press ahead with their evaluation of Pant.

The left-hander brings in certain volatility to the crease, a trait that the Indian middle/lower order has been missing for some time now. Yet, it remains to be seen how the team management will consider fitting him in. Kedar Jadhav’s absence (owing to injury) does allow for an extra batsman, but should Pant skip ahead of Pandey in the waiting queue?

THE 6TH BOWLER
With both Jadhav and Pandya missing in action, Ravindra Jadeja’s white-ball career has got yet another lifeline. During the Asia Cup, and on slow, low pitches, he proved to be an able foil to the two wrist-spinners who continue to be India’s foremost spin options. Jadeja also had a couple middling scores in the final two games against Afghanistan (tied match) and Bangladesh (tight chase), showcasing his lower-order batting prowess, not tomention his brilliant fielding ability. For some time now, it has been predicted that India will indeed take three spinners to the World Cup, and Jadeja could be that, even if sitting behind Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the pecking order.

In this ODI series, Jadeja will firm up as the all-rounder/fifth bowler undoubtedly. Yet, in the larger scheme of things, India need a sixth bowler on many occasions. Thus, can Jadeja grow into that ‘sixth bowler’ role, ahead of Jadhav? It can only happen if he can outgrow Jadhav’s utility as a batsman. In Pandya’s absence then, Jadeja has amassive opportunity at hand.

PACE BACK-UP
The England tour was an eye-opener in more ways than one. Never mind the 4-1 Test series loss, India’s pace weaknesses got lost somewhere in that noise. Early on tour, Jasprit Bumrah got injured and then Bhuvneshwar Kumar succumbed to extra workload. Even with one of them absent, India’s bowling attack looked mighty handicapped in the 2-1 ODI series loss to England – contemplate what would happen if both go missing?

Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur and Siddarth Kaul were called up for serviceduring the limited-overs games in Ireland and England. During the Asia Cup, we also got a look at left-armer Khaleel Ahmed. While Mohammed Shami is included for the first two ODIs against West Indies, elsewhere Mohammed Siraj is also in contention. On paper, it looks a healthy back-up force. The key difference is in experience.

Shami last played ODI cricket in September 2017, and has only played three ODIs since the 2015 World Cup. Yadav’s two ODI outings in England were also his first game-time since September last year. Together, they are India’s second line of pace attack. Meanwhile, Thakur (5 ODIs), Kaul (3 ODIs), Ahmed (2 ODIs) and Siraj (yet to make ODI debut) form the third line. This is nowhere near ‘good enough’ for a team preparing for the World Cup.

With that last thought in mind, the Indian team management has to be clever about how they use Kumar and Bumrah (rested for first two ODIs against West Indies), and more importantly, how they distribute vital gametime among these other pacers over the next 18 ODIs (against West Indies, in Australia and New Zealand, and then at home against Australia) prior to the 2019 World Cup.