After a thrilling start to the series in Hyderabad, the action shifts to Thiruvananthapuran as India and West Indies face each other in the second T20I on Sunday. Although the hosts were expected to make light work of West Indies, India had to work hard for their win. While they had Virat Kohli's blitzkrieg to thank for, India will look to fine-tune themselves with room for improvement with the ball and on the field.
West Indies, on the other hand, punched above their weight with a stunning assault on the Indian bowlers. The reigning ICC T20 World Cup champions might not boast of many household names, the talent within the roster is evident. Although they enter this game as the clear underdogs, Kieron Pollard and co will aim for an elusive win against the much-fancied Indian outfit. Here are a few tips to help you pick your Dream11 team for IND vs WI.
Squads to choose from:
India:
Virat Kohli (C), Shreyas Iyer, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Shivam Dube and Manish Pandey.
West Indies:
Kieron Pollard (C), Brandon King, Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Denesh Ramdin, Jason Holder, Keemo Paul, Kesrick Williams, Fabian Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Sheldon Cottrell, Khary Pierre and Hayden Walsh
Playing XI Updates:
India:
Although his home crowd would love to see him in the playing XI, Sanju Samson will have to contend with a place on the bench once again. India isn't expected to make many changes to the one that featured in the previous game. While the batting unit looks well settled on paper, there are questions over Shivam Dube's ability as a genuine all-rounder. He should take up the number six spot once again with Sundar and Jadeja adding batting depth.
After an expensive outing, Deepak Chahar could sit this one out for Mohd Shami. As is the norm, all eyes will be on Indian captain, Virat Kohli after his aggressive knock in the previous game set the tone for the rest of the series.
Possible XI: Rohit, Rahul, Virat (C), Iyer, Pant (WK), Dube, Jadeja, Sundar, Chahal, Shami and Bhuvneshwar.
West Indies:
A few changes are certainly on the card for the Windies, who weren't able to back their batting performance with the ball. One of Hayden Walsh or Kesrick Williams is likely to make way for Keemo Paul, whose IPL experience should come in handy. Khary Pierre's spell in the powerplay holds him in good stead although a lot depends on Sheldon Cottrell. Their batting, however, showed a lot of potential with Shimron Hetmyer striking form at the right for the West Indies.
The tourists will be boosted by the inclusion of Nicholas Pooran, who will slot in for Denesh Ramdin. A lot rides on the shoulders of Kieron Pollard as well with the West Indian captain's experience being vital.
Possible XI: Lewis, Simmons, King, Hetmyer, Pollard (C), Pooran (WK), Holder, Pierre, Paul, Walsh and Cottrell.
Match Details:
India vs West Indies, 2nd T20I
8th September 2019, 7:00 PM IST
Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
Pitch Report:
This venue hosted the South African tour of India earlier this year with good batting tracks provided in all the games. This is bound to be case for this game as well with another high-scoring clash beckoning. The weather is also clear with both sides looking to bowl first upon winning the toss.
Fantasy Tips and Suggestions:
Wicket-keeper: Nicholas Pooran is the preferred option over Rishabh Pant for this game. While Pooran might bat a bit deep in the West Indian line up, he is capable of scoring quick runs on a consistent basis. Although Rishabh Pant is a similar player, India's in-form top order is bound to most of the scoring in this game.
Batsmen: Virat Kohli looked off beat during the initial stages in the previous game. Once he found his mojo, Kohli was unstoppable. It is this form that makes him one of the best cricketers in the world as he is picked in the fantasy side along with Rohit Sharma. While one of Shreyas Iyer or KL Rahul would also suffice, Shimron Hetmyer's fifty in Hyderabad also holds him in good stead. Evin Lewis is one to watch out for with his record against the Indians being exemplary.
All-rounders: Kieron Pollard showcased his ability with both bat and ball on Friday. Although he did end up on the losing side, he scored 37 runs and also managed to pick a wicket. Along with the big West Indian, Washington Sundar should also be a viable option as well for this game.
Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal and Sheldon Cottrell are must haves in the side for their ability to pick wickets and restrict the run-scoring on a consistent basis. Both of them picked a few wickets in the previous game as well and should do so in this game as well. Along with the aforementioned duo, Keemo Paul and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are worthwhile options as well. If included in the side, Mohammed Shami should also pick a wicket or two.
Captain: Rohit Sharma will be itching to make amends for his no-show in Hyderabad. Having scored multiple T20I hundreds, his penchant of runs is well documented. Along with the Indian captain, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma is a viable candidate for the multiplier option. From the West Indian roster, Evin Lewis could also be a great option with the West Indian showing glimpses of what he is capable of in the previous game.
Fantasy Suggestion #1: Nicholas Pooran, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shimron Hetmyer, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sheldon Cottrell. Captain: Rohit Sharma, Vice-Captain: Virat Kohli.
Fantasy Suggestion #2: Nicholas Pooran, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Evin Lewis, Brandon King, Kieron Pollard, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sheldon Cottrell and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Captain: Rohit Sharma, Vice-Captain: Evin Lewis.
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