Can Windies keep India from 3-0 scoreline?

The West Indies are often cited as everyonersquos second favourite team in world cricket except perhaps in the Caribbean where they may currently be regarded as the lsquoleast favouritersquo team of the lotEven in this era when West Indies have so often been emasculated they have still had the capacity to enchant fleetingly ndash as they did in Colombo when winning the World T20 in 2012 The current team lacks the majesty and power of the magnificent sides of the Eighties In Sri Lanka 11 years ago they had a rollercoaster ride to the T20 final which was ultimately mesmerising Their campaign was unpredictable joyous and stylish and everyone enjoyed their triumph Yet now with the 50over series round the corner there is serious doubt whether West Indies will be able to save themselves from more humiliationIndia could not force victory over feeble Windies despite an early attacking declaration on the final day of the second Test at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago as the weather closed in later on The Men in Blue went on to seal a 10 win after rain brought the second Test to a premature endIndia declared on 181 in the second innings after opening up a commanding lead setting their opponents a target of 365 to chase But rain meant play was suspended and then abandoned on the fifth and final day of action with the West Indies frozen on 762 The draw gave India a 10 victory with the sides now set to resume battle over three oneday internationalsIndia laid the foundations for a second successive Test victory over their rivals with a solid first innings highlighted by some strong showings at the top of the order The openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma formed a strong partnership combining to score more 139 runs before Jaiswal was caught on 57 by Kirk McKenzie following a Jason Holder deliveryTeam India celebrate the fall of a wicket during the second Test Pic AFPThe next three wickets were quick to fall as the West Indies threatened to take control of the contest at 1824 but Virat Kohli had other ideas He scored a Testrsquos best 121 runs and together with Ravi Jadeja combined for 159 runs to put India in the ascendencyThe last wicket fell at 438 runs and although the West Indies made a reasonable start in response only Kraigg Brathwaite was able to put up more than a half century as they stumbled to 255 all out That gave India a comfortable cushion and they built on that in their second innings as they raced to 1812 before declaring in a bid to clinch a second successive victoryBut it wasnrsquot to be as the rain gods once again stole the cricketing headlines It perhaps spared the West Indies from suffering a whitewash after dropping two early wickets on day four chasing the 365 required to winPlay in the first session of day five was scrapped but it was hoped there would be some afternoon action as the rain eased However despite a couple breaks in the deluge the second session went the way of the first and the Test was declared a drawAlso Read The man in white is not always rightThe two sides will now play each other in three oneday international matches beginning on July 27 India will use the series against the West Indies to test out a few players to finalise their combinations ahead of the Asia Cup which will precede the ODI World Cup at home in OctoberNovemberForm guideIndia boast of an eightmatch winning streak against West Indies in ODIs The last time Windies got the better of India was on December 15 2019 with a eightwicket win in ChennaiRecent ODI matches6 Feb 2022 India won by 6 wickets9 Feb 2022 India won by 44 runs11 Feb 2022 India won by 96 runs22 July 2022 India won by 3 runs24 July 2022 India won by 2 wickets27 July 2022 India won by 119 runs DLS methodIndia vs West Indies ODIs in the CaribbeanMatches 42India won 19West Indies won 20No Result 3Most recent India vs West Indies ODI matches in CaribbeanIndia are on a sevenmatch unbeaten streak in ODIs against West Indies in the Caribbean The last time India lost a contest was on 2 July 2017 with Windies winning by 11 runs West Indies have not won an ODI series against India at home since 20068 August 2019 No result11 August 2019 India won by 59 runs14 August 2019 India won by 6 wickets22 July 2022 India won by 3 runs24 July 2022 India won by 2 wickets27 July 2022 India won by 119 runs DLS methodIn the spotlightLike the two Tests India will be expected to dominate the West Indies but the series presents a crucial opportunity for the likes of Suryakumar Yadav Ishan Kishan Sanju Samson Yuzvendra Chahal and Umran MalikSuryakumar will be aiming to improve his 50over credentials while Kishan and Samson are likely to audition for the wicketkeepers slot on ThursdaySuryakumar who has not been able to replicate his superhuman T20 form in the ODIs can stake a claim for the number four spot in the absence of injured Shreyas Iyer Though he recorded a hattrick of first ball ducks in the previous series against Australia the Xfactor batter is expected to start the seriesK L Rahul who is undergoing rehabilitation after a thigh surgery will be a strong contender for the number one wicketkeepers slot when he returns to action In his absence both Kishan and Samson have a chance to make a claim for the second wicketkeepers slot with Risabh Pant unlikely to be fit in time for the World Cup Meanwhile Samson is used to being in and out of the team but he will be hoping to get game time in his comeback series and build on his average of 66 in 11 ODIsKishan who impressed with the bat and was behind the stumps in the Test series is likely to be the wicketkeeper for the opening ODI That leaves Samson and Suryakumar to battle for the remaining spot in the middle orderAs expected Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will open the innings which means more time on the bench for Ruturaj GaikwadVicecaptain Hardik Pandya who has not played since the IPL has a hectic schedule ahead of him with the five T20Is following the ODIs bringing workload management to the forefront Considering that he will captain the T20I side he might get a breather during the ODI seriesIn the bowling department it is another opportunity for tearaway pacer Umran Malik to make an impact The 23yearold from Jammu and Kashmir has the tendency to leak runs but is a genuine wickettaking option He has taken 13 wickets in seven ODIsAlso Read They came they played they conqueredChahal has gone down in the pecking order of spinners and Kuldeep Yadav was picked ahead of him in the last series against Australia The leggie will be eagerly waiting for his chance Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace attack with Jaydev Unadkat Mukesh Kumar and allrounder Shardul Thakur being the other optionsThe West Indies who have failed to qualify for the ODI World Cup will be eyeing a fresh start with the India series The return of Shimron Hetmyer and Oshane Thomas will boost the home side Both played their last ODI in 2021 Alick Athanaze who was among the few West Indies batters who showed promised in the Test series will be the one to watch out forTeam newsWest Indies probable Shai Hope captain Rovman Powell vicecaptain Alick Athanaze Yannic Cariah Keacy Carty Dominic Drakes Shimron Hetmyer Alzarri Joseph Brandon King Kyle Mayers Gudakesh Motie Jayden Seales Romario Shepherd Kevin Sinclair Oshane ThomasIndia probable Rohit Sharma captain Shubman Gill Ruturaj Gaikwad Virat Kohli Surya Kumar Yadav Sanju Samson wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan wicketkeeper Hardik Pandya vicecaptain Shardul Thakur Ravindra Jadeja Axar Patel Yuzvendra Chahal Kuldeep Yadav Jaydev Unadkat Mohd Siraj Umran Malik Mukesh KumarOther stats and triviaHighest innings total overall India 4815 at Indore in December 2011Highest innings total in West Indies India 3396 at Kingston in June 2009Lowest innings total overall India 100 at Ahmedabad in November 1993Lowest innings total in West Indies West Indies 121 at Port of Spain in April 1997Biggest victory overall India won by 224 runs at Brabourne in October 2018Biggest victory in West Indies India won by 119 runs at Port of Spain in July 2022Most runs Virat Kohli ndash 2261 runs from 42 matchesHighest score overall Virender Sehwag ndash 219 runs from 208 balls at Indore in December 2011Highest score in West Indies Desmond Haynes ndash 152 from 126 balls at Georgetown in March 1989Most centuries Virat Kohli 9Most fifties or more Virat Kohli 20Most sixes Rohit Sharma 35Most ducks Sachin Tendulkar 5Most runs in a series Chris Gayle 455 runs from 7 matchesMost wickets Courtney Walsh 44Best bowling figures Anil Kumble 612Most fivewicket hauls in an innings Mervyn Dillon 2Most runs conceded by a bowler Kemar Roach 88 runs from 10 oversMost wickets in a series Patrick Patterson 17 wickets in 198788Most wicketkeeping dismissals MS Dhoni 47Most wicketkeeping dismissals in an innings Denesh Ramdin 5Most catches Vivian Richards 26Most catches in an innings Rahul Dravid 4Most catches in a series Vivian Richards 8Highest partnership Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli 246 runsMost matches played Shivnarine Chanderpaul 46Most matches as captain Viv Richards 20