India set a competitive target of 266 runs for West Indies. India lost 3 early wickets with the top-3 batsmen Rohit Sharma (13), Shikhar Dhawan (10) and Virat Kohli (0) getting out at a score of 42 in 10 overs. A gritty partnership of 110-runs between Shreyas Iyer who fell on 80 and Rishabh Pant who scored a quick fire 56 off 55 balls, steadied the innings.
The top 3 batsmen were dismissed by Alzarri Joseph and Odean Smith.
India will be aiming for a 3-0 whitewash, a first that the team will achieve against the Caribbean side in ODI history.
India made four changes to their playing XI with KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Hooda and Shardul Thakur missing out the match. Shikhar Dhawan, Kuldeep Yadav, Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar have replaced them in the playing XI.
Kieron Pollard will be missing in action once again as Nicholas Pooran will lead the team once again.
India’s third and final One-Day International against the West Indies at the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday has been reduced to a non-event due to India’s unassailable 2-0 series lead.
India can afford to experiment to rest some of their regulars, including Virat Kohli, after winning both matches. The former skipper appeared a little out of sorts, especially in the second ODI, when he tried to boss short-pitched bowling and was quickly dismissed.
Shikhar Dhawan is expected to return to the top of the order following his recovery from Covid19, it might not be a bad idea for Kohli to take a vacation.
India may also consider giving one of their reserves a chance in their bowling assault.
As for the west indies, Kieran Pollard returns to playing eleven. The West Indies will
try to escape a whitewash in the third ODI, while the Men in Blue who have momentum on their side, will go for a 3-0 clean sweep.
India won the toss and chose to bat.
