INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Indian team is expected to revert to its established batting order in the second ODI against West Indies on Saturday, aiming for an
improved performance with the bat to secure an unassailable lead in the three-match series
In the first ODI, Skipper Rohit Sharmaand coach Rahul Dravid experimented with middle-order batters early in the innings on a track that
became challenging to bat on during the second session.However, the low target of 115 made things relatively smooth for them despite a few
hiccups.Nonetheless, it is anticipated that Rohit will open with Shubman Gill, while Virat Kohli will come in at one drop
Ishan Kishan, despite his impressive fifty, will drop down to bat in the middle order, but he may have to vacate that spot during the Asia
Cup in Sri Lanka if KL Rahul returns.India have 11 more matches before the opening World Cup game against Australia on October 8, and they
would prefer to settle on a consistent combination
Therefore, excessive experimentation might not be in their best interest.The Kensington Oval in Barbados is home turf for the late Malcolm
Marshall and Joel Garner who used to intimidate batters during their days
But on Thursday, it was the spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav who left the Caribbean batters guessing with the turn and bounce that
was on offer.West Indies cricket has declined in popularity after failing to qualify for the ODI World Cup in India, and their tendency to
play T20 shots in a 50-over game was evident from their reckless shot-selection against the Indian spinners.While the pitch for the second
ODI might not be identical, its nature could be similar
Therefore, India shouldn't mind the challenge of batting first, especially considering the upcoming matches in Chennai and Lucknow, where
spin-friendly conditions await them.For Suryakumar Yadav, it is crucial to replicate his T20 form in the 50-over format
Though he looked promising in the first ODI, he needs to kick on and be consistent, as his place in the eleven could be in jeopardy when
Shreyas Iyer returns from injury or when KL Rahul makes a comeback
Scoring significant runs in the Asia Cup would solidify his spot in the team.As a reserve pacer, Mukesh Kumar should make it to the World
Cup squad, backing up Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur
His disciplined bowling across formats has been commendable, and he will likely be retained unless India decides to include an extra spinner
