India vs West Indies, 3rd ODI, Cuttack: Preview, likely XIs, prediction

After the hammering their bowlers took, the onus is on West Indies to make the most of a rare chance for a bilateral series victory over India, when the sides meet in the third and final ODI in Cuttack on Saturday, December 21.

It’s been a while since West Indies tasted bilateral ODI series success against India. The last time it happened, it was May 2006, when West Indies won 4-1 in a five-match series at home. This is, therefore, a chance to end a long, unpleasant streak, and West Indies have shown in recent times they shouldn’t be underestimated.

Their victory in the first ODI stated their case. It was all too comfortable, and a shocker for India, the No.2-ranked side in the ODI rankings. West Indies had Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope score centuries, as a chase of 288 was completed with minimum fuss.

Awakened, perhaps, India hit back, and how. There were centuries from Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, and a hat-trick from Kuldeep Yadav, as the hosts fought back to level the series 1-1 with a 107-run win. It was a win in which plenty of records were broken.

That means the momentum is with the hosts. West Indies weren’t able to handle the pressure, and that is a stick that can be more rightly used to beat their bowlers with. Their batting department has largely been fine, but their bowlers have crumbled in the face of an assault, and they are yet to find a way to counter that.

India, meanwhile, have had injuries hampering their own bowling attack – Deepak Chahar has a back issue, and has been replaced in the squad by Navdeep Saini. Whether Saini slots straight into the XI remains to be seen, but the big threat for West Indies, in their pursuit of a rare series win, is India’s batting.

Head to head

The rivalry is neck-and-neck at the moment. There have been 132 matches between these sides. Both teams have won 63 each. The winner of this clash will not only win the bilateral series, but also take the overall lead.

Key players

Virat Kohli (India): It must have been unusual to say the least for the Indian captain, falling for a golden duck in Vizag and managing a combined four runs in two ODIs, even as his team-mates set the records tumbling. It’s usually Kohli doing the record-breaking. He will be desperate to get in on the act come Sunday, and especially if India are chasing, a Kohli special is due.

Evin Lewis (West Indies): Lewis must have had an odd time of it during the IPL auction, when the likes of his team-mates Shimron Hetmyer and Sheldon Cottrell went for big money, even as he went unsold. He has, through nothing of his own doing, a point to prove. And the Indian bowlers will need to watch out.

Likely XIs

India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur

West Indies: Ewin Lewis, Shai Hope (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard (c), Jason Holder, Keemo Paul, Alzarri Joseph, Khary Pierre, Sheldon Cottrell

Prediction

It’s not a foregone conclusion, but in matches like these, India usually come through. Expect them to do so.