The batting firepower is undeniably India’s biggest strength but an unsettled pace-bowling combination would be a concern when the hosts look to seal the three-match ODI series against the West Indies in the second game, on Wednesday. For the fans, the spotlight will once again be on Virat Kohli, who rolled back the years with a record-breaking century in the series-opener in Thiruvananthapuram, while skipper Shubman Gill also struck a hundred as India chased down 296 in under 42 overs.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav also bowled an incisive spell to underline his importance in the attack, but the pace department looked less convincing in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, while Mohammed Siraj was left out to try Nitish Kumar Reddy with the new ball in a dress rehearsal for the ODI World Cup next year. Returning from a left quadriceps injury, Reddy struggled for rhythm and accuracy. With Hardik Pandya yet to get fitness clearance and Bumrah away on Asian Games duty, the series was seen as an opportunity to assess India’s options ahead of the next ODI World Cup. “It will be great for Indian cricket if we can keep on developing him and for him to compete for that all-rounder spot.
As a result, Justin Greaves, the 32-year-old West Indies opener, settled quickly and went on to score a maiden ODI hundred, a 108-ball 101, helping the visitors post a competitive 295/7. He overstepped, overpitched, bowled too many deliveries in the hitting arc and strayed down the leg side, conceding 18 runs from an over that stretched to seven deliveries.
India’s decision to open the bowling with all-rounder Reddy, rather than the more experienced Siraj, raised plenty of eyebrows in Thiruvananthapuram and the experiment did not go according to plan. He’s got all the talent and all the ability to do that,” Morkel had said.
