India hopes experiment to be successful in decider

Taroba: India will hope that its experiment of trying Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order in the third and deciding one-day cricket match against West Indies on Tuesday proves successful. The Indian team, which has not lost an ODI series to the West Indies since 2006, suffered a defeat in the second ODI in Barbados with skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being rested. After the six-wicket defeat, coach Rahul Dravid had said that the Indian team was looking at the bigger picture with next month’s Asia Cup and then the World Cup to see how much the youngsters can make an impact in crucial matches.

Dravid had said on Saturday, “We will always look at the bigger picture. The Asia Cup and the World Cup are coming up and we have to do that because players can get injured. We cannot be worried about every single match or every series. If you do so, it will be a mistake. Suryakumar, who seems to be struggling in the 50-over format, will focus on winning matches by playing long innings. At the same time, despite making a comeback several times, Samson could not impress. He also has this golden opportunity.

He can land at number three just like in the second ODI. Opener Ishan Kishan has impressed but Shubman Gill is yet to make a big knock. Hardik Pandya opened the bowling in the first two matches but failed with the bat. He would like to play useful innings before the five-match T20 series. In bowling, fast bowler Umran Malik is yet to take a wicket. His pace is the ‘X factor’ for India but he needs to work on his technique and accuracy. Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav has put in an impressive performance, leaving room for his friend Yuzvendra Chahal.

Now he will be seen only in the T20 series. West Indies have nothing to lose and if they beat India, the wounds of not qualifying for the ODI World Cup will be somewhat healed. Their bowlers have troubled the Indian batsmen a lot. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Moti has been doing well while pacer Romario Shepherd has also been effective. Captain Shai Hope said, “We will repeat that performance once again. We have to be consistent with bat and ball.

Teams :

India : Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar

West Indies : Shai Hope (Captain), Rovman Powell, Alyque Athanaj, Yannick Kariya, Casey Carty, Dominic Drakes, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Brendan King, Kyle Myers, Gudakesh Moti, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas.

Match time: 7 pm onwards.