WI vs IND 1st ODI: After an enthralling show in the West Indies vs India Test series, the action now shifts to the ODI format. West Indies will be disappointed with their performance in the Test series as they failed to take an early lead in the series & thereby lost the series by a 1-0 score. Now when the action shifts to the limited overs format, West India will try to bounce back & regain their prestige as they are marching into this series on the back of a loss in the ICC World Cup Qualifier. It is in the first time in history that West Indies failed to qualify for the ODI World Cup.
On the other hand, India will be brimming with confidence after registering a splendid victory over West Indies in the Test series. They will aim to continue the good run in the ODI format by winning the first ODI & taking an early lead in the series. India has a good record against West Indies as they have won the last eight fixtures against them. They will look ahead to continue the good form against Widnies & clinch the ODI series as well. This will be a test game for West Indies who are already reeling with an array of defeats & need some wins to regain their lost confidence.
WI vs IND 1st ODI: TEAMS PREVIEW
West Indies Preview
Shai Hope & Co are coming into this clash after a disastrous campaign in ICC World Cup Qualifier. As the hope of qualifying for World Cup 2023 is shattered, Windies will now have to save their prestige by winning the ODI series against India. They will look ahead to develop a concrete plan for re-building their lineup & preparing for the next World Cup in the next four years. Their record & graphs against India is disastrous & they will have to play their ‘A game ‘ if surpassing the mighty Indian squad is on their list.
Captain Hope will make a point to lead the team’s batting attack from the forefront. The team will expect a good start from openers Brandon King and Kyle Mayers. The form of Mayers has been commendable in the last few months & he will aim to capitalize on it. Shai Hope will anchor the innings in the middle overs along with Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer who will make a comeback to the national setup after two long years. Alick Athanaze and Romario Shephard are power hitters & the team will hope for some powerpack knocks from them.
Their bowling attack is in dire condition as none of the bowlers could actually trouble the opponents. They will hope for a good show with a new ball from Oshane Thomas and Alzarri Joseph. While the team will expect some good spells from Seals and Yannic Cariah in the middle overs. They will get good support from Shepherd & Mayers who comes handy with the new ball in hand.
India Preview
Rohit Sharma found his lost form back & he will try to maintain the momentum in the ODI series as well. Rohit & CO has taken every step in the right direction in terms of team selection & performances in the Test Series. They will try & carry the positives from the Test in the ODI series. Coming to the team composition it is a perfect balance of veteran players & young lads who are brimming with confidence. Who can forget Yashasvi Jaiswal’s gleaming performance on his debut match? Yashasvi will aim to stitch a rewarding stand with Rohit Sharma at the top order.
Virat Kohli has done well in the Test & will look ahead to meaningful stands with Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order. The Indian team has depth in the batting order with Ishan, Hardik & Jadeja in the middle order. This makes their batting lineup long & in-depth.
In the bowling department, the onus will be on Mohammad Siraj & Umran Malik to get early breakthroughs. Jadeja & Chahal adds variation to their lineup with their lethal spin attack. They will aim of fetching early wickets on a pitch that favors spinners. Pandya could come in handy with the ball if the team needs the service of an additional bowler.
WI vs IND 1st ODI: Head-to-Head Records
ODI matches Played: 139
Matches won by India: 70
Matches won by West Indies: 63
No result: 4
Tied Matches: 2
WI vs IND 1st ODI: Predicted Playing XIs
West Indies:
Shai Hope (c & wk), Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Oshane Thomas, Yannic Cariah, Alick Athanaze, Kyle Mayers, Jayden Seales, Romario Shephard
India:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal
The pitch at Kensington Oval is not so batter-friendly as the ball doesn’t come onto the bat smoothly. Oval’s pitch provides variations & bounce which is a win-win situation for bowlers. The pitch is not that ideal for fast bowlers but it’s a haven for spinners due to the turn it provides to the batters.
The weather at Oval will be overcast which will make batting here a difficult task. Bowlers have a chance to stand out if bowled deliveries of perfect lengths & lines. The side chasing the target have an edge on this pitch.
Final Prediction:
West Indies team is not close to the Indian team in any department. Their batters & bowlers have struggled a lot for the last couple of months. They will have to identify the area of the problem & return with excellent performances if winning is their motive. Looking at the head-to-head record of India & West Indies & Indian team’s current performances, India looks favorite to win this fixture.
Also read, ENG vs AUS 5th Test, Ashes 2023 Prediction, Playing XI
