India vs West Indies 2013: 1st ODI Preview - Shorter format brings hope of a better contest

Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement will not have much effect on the Indian ODI side, while West Indies would breathe easy as the Tests are over

Merely 5 days after an emotional retirement of Sachin Tendulkar, it’s business as usual for Team India, who take on West Indies in a 3-match ODI series starting tomorrow in Kochi.

It’s been a charged up atmosphere since Australia visited India, but it shouldn’t be surprising if the buzz surrounding this series doesn’t match up to those levels, with the recovery period not yet over for the fans as far as Sachin-related emotions are concerned.

However, it does provide Dhoni’s team the opportunity to address some glaring issues which they faced against the Australians.

For starters, the bowling department is devoid of Ishant Sharma, and had it not been for Dhawal Kulkarni’s injury, India would have fielded a very different pace attack in this series.

Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the front-runners for the two pace bowling spots in the team, while Mohit Sharma or Jaydev Unadkat may be given an opportunity too.

On the batting side, while the rest of their teammates look in ominous touch, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina have much to prove yet. Their failures against Australia didn’t end up causing as much harm as the lack of form of a side’s number 4 and 5 could have.

Virat Kohli – 81 runs short of equalling Viv Richards’s record of fastest to 5000 ODI runs – and Rohit Sharma, along with Shikhar Dhawan and MS Dhoni, would like to keep the momentum intact before the away series against South Africa, which is expected to be this new-look side’s toughest challenge so far.

However, reading too much into West Indies’ Test form may not be the ideal preparation for India. The West Indians looked completely out of sorts in Tests, but it’s a very different looking side for the visitors in ODIs. The additions of Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine and Ravi Rampaul make them a potent force, especially considering the trio’s experience in the sub-continent.

India too would welcome the return of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the Test-series due to a shoulder strain.

Players under focus:

India

Yuvraj Singh - Ever since his return from France, Yuvraj promised a lot with his domestic performances and looked to be getting back to his best with a strokeful 77 against Australia in the one-off T20 in Rajkot. However, his returns of 7, 0, 0 and 12 against Australia in the ODI series has left the questions hanging over his form for now.

How long before Yuvraj Singh again gets the axe?

India’s No.4 problems are further compounded with Suresh Raina’s lack of form. Dhoni was clear that their experiment with Raina at No.4 was borne out of the need to find a suitable back-up for Yuvraj. In case both fail to get runs under their belt, the ball may well fall in the court of Ambati Rayudu who is waiting in the wings after making an impressive debut against Zimbabwe earlier this year.

Rohit Sharma - In the form of his life currently, Rohit Sharma wouldn’t want to take his foot off the gas yet. However satisfying be Rohit’s return to form, it’s South Africa where this resurgence will be truly tested. But before reaching that bridge, West Indies will give him the opportunity to test how motivated he is to keep the good run going.

How long can Rohit keep the good form going?

Interestingly, the last time West Indies played ODIs in India in 2011, Rohit was the highest run-getter, scoring 305 at an average of 76.25. As an opener though, it would be a different outing this time around.

West Indies

Sunil Narine – Without a doubt, Narine was the most baffling absentee in West Indies’ Test squad. Even with Shane Shillingford in the side, Narsingh Deonarine and Veerasammy Permaul were surely not the next best spinners available for West Indies.

Finally, Sunil Narine is back in the side

Brian Lara was critical of his non-selection in the Test side, saying, “You would think that he knows Indian pitches like the back of his hand. Another one of world’s best cricketers labeled by our selectors as not good enough.” And that’s where Narine’s X-factor lies in India – his successful stint in the IPL.

However, Narine hasn’t been able to make the same impact against India at the international level, and averages over 52 against them, not at all impressive compared to his career average of 24.40. In the home series earlier this year, he went wicket-less in the 2 matches against India. But if West Indies intend to really compete in the ODIs, unlike the Test series, they will need Narine at his best.

Chris Gayle – Gayle has been kept on a leash by Bhuvneshwar Kumar this year. The explosive batsman has been very quiet by his usual standards in T20 leagues, and save for a century against Sri Lanka in Kingston, hasn’t touched 40 in 14 other ODIs this year.

His struggles seem to have enhanced against Bhuvi’s outswingers, with India’s opening bowler accounting for Gayle’s wicket 4 times in the 7 innings the Jamaican has played against them in all formats this year.

Gayle’s struggles against Bhuvneshwar Kumar are becoming more and more regular

The recently concluded Test series saw a much more restrained Gayle, and despite his intention to spend more time at the crease, curbing his shots, he didn’t look at ease doing so. If Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s outswingers have brought about his downfall this year against India, his job will be made all the more difficult by Mohammed Shami, who can trouble him with both pace and movement.

Ground conditions:

If rain gods permit, India would be hopeful of continuing their good run at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Kochi. In 7 matches played here so far, India have won 5.

Ravindra Jadeja would have fond memories of this ground. Against England earlier this year, big hitting from Dhoni and Jadeja propelled India to 285 here in the 1st innings, followed by England’s collapse at just 158. Jadeja won the Man of the Match award in that game, making 61 off just 37 balls and taking 2/12 in 7 overs.

However, rain threat looms large over the 1st ODI, and if things go Duleep Trophy way – North Zone made it to the final by winning the coin toss after the semifinal was washed out, and the trophy was shared by North and South after another washout in the final – India could witness a 3rd abandoned game in less than a month.

It rained on Monday in Kochi, and there is a forecast of more showers for the next four days, forcing the groundsmen to keep the covers on. But Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) president, under some criticism after the Duleep Trophy blunder, was upbeat about the chances of the match taking place.

“We’ve only covered the whole outfield as a precautionary measure, because we’ve a four-day rain forecast here.

“We’ve been working very hard on improving the facilities and are very cautious after the Duleep Trophy. We’ve already spent a lot of money on stadium upgradation and drainage. When the covers will be lifted, you will see how much progress we’ve made in terms of bettering the conditions,” he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

300+ was a norm in the India-Australia series, but this pitch may offer something different for the batsmen, and has been termed a 270-280 pitch by curator Ramchandran.

“I won’t call it a 300-plus pitch but 270-280 should be gettable, batting first or second. There’s some grass cover which will ensure even bounce and carry and will encourage stroke-play. At the same time, the new-ball bowlers will get some assistance,” he told The Indian Express.

Quotes:

“What we have done after the Australia series, we are making the bowlers to do a death over bowling practice. But it still requires a little more time to reflect it on the field.” – MS Dhoni on the big headache that is death bowling for the Indian skipper.

“T20 hangover? I think they looked drunk!” – Clive Lloyd was scathing in his comment on West Indies’ batsmen’s inability to last at the wicket.

Teams:

India: MS Dhoni (c, wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Amit Mishra, Ambati Rayudu, Vinay Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat.

West Indies: Dwayne Bravo (c), Chris Gayle, Kieron Powell, Marlon Samuels, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Darren Sammy, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Lendl Simmons, Johnson Charles, Narsingh Deonarine, Jason Holder, Veerasammy Permaul, Tino Best.

Time: 1:30 PM (IST) start.