IND vs WI 2nd ODI: Misfiring batting line-ups in focus as India eye series win

The Men in Blue will aim to put up a muchimproved show with the willow and take an unassailable lead in the threematch series when it faces a belowpar West Indies in the second ODI on SaturdaySkipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid did face a minor hiccup while trying out the middleorder batters upfront on a track that became a raging turner during the second session but a meager target of 115 meant that things were smooth for the better partHowever one can vouch with a degree of certainty that even if India once again chases a small target Rohit Sharma will indeed come out with Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli will be seen padded to come at one dropIshan Kishan despite his impressive fifty will have to bat in the middle order a place he will have to vacate during Asia Cup in Sri Lanka if KL Rahul happens to make a comebackWith 11 more matches left before the opening World Cup game against Australia in Chennai on October 8 as per the current schedule India would aim at a settled combination and hence too much experimentation might not be what the doctor would orderThe Kensington Oval in Barbados is home turf for the late Malcolm Marshall and the Big Bird Joel Garner where visiting side batters would get mentally psyched out even before the Big Four Andy Roberts and Michael Holding had the red cherry in their handsAlso Read Can Windies keep India from 30 scorelineBut on Thursday the legend of Kensington track seemed like an oxymoron as Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav made the Caribbean batters look very silly with the turn and bounce that was on offerEven Hardik Pandya with the new ball looked very skiddy and was able to hurry the batters along with Umran Malik who bowled a number of pacey deliveriesGone are those golden days of West Indies cricket and the popularity of cricket in the islands has hit an alltime nadir after its nonqualification for the ODI World Cup in IndiaThe propensity to play T20 game in a 50over contest was very much on show with the kind of indiscreet shot selections that got them into a tangle against Jadeja and KuldeepThe track used for the second ODI might not be the same one but nature could be identical and hence Indian team shouldnt mind the challenge of batting firstFacing Gudakesh Moties orthodox leftarm spin and Yannic Cariahs leg breaks wont be the most difficult proposition but not the easiest one eitherThe Indian batters havent exactly set the stage on fire when facing spinners on turners and this wont be a bad test for the team if the conditions of first ODI is replicatedPlaces like Chennai and Lucknow venues for the World Cup games against Australia and England will aid spinners and it is always good to get some simulation in overseas conditions which are pretty similar to what one can expect at homeFor Suryakumar Yadav it will be imperative that he can replicate his T20 form in 50 over cricket Thursday was a golden opportunity and he did look good before a sweep shot off Motie brought about his downfallSurya knows that his place in the XI could be doubtful if Shreyas Iyer gets fit and if KL Rahul returns he might find it difficult to make it to the 15member squad unless he scores some significant runs against Pakistan in the Asia Cup which will then seal his spot in the sideMukesh Kumar as a reserve fifth pacer should make it to the squad behind Mohammed Shami Jasprit Bumrah Mohammed Siraj and Shardul ThakurHis discipline in terms of line and length across formats has been exemplary and it will be difficult to drop him unless India picks that extra spinner in the 15man squadSquadsWest Indies 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 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 KumarWith agency inputs