The West Indies arrive in India looking to build momentum for the defence of their T20 World title in Australia in 2020.
India will be keen to continue a dominant home season that started with a Test triumph over South Africa.
India’s T20I unit has a slightly less experimental look than the squad that drew a three-match series with the Proteas.
Photo Copyright – Steve Haag Sports
First T20I (N) | Friday 6 December 2019 | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | 15:30
To Win MatchIndia 42/100
Tie 35/1
West Indies 19/10
India
Despite only one T20I being played at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad most of the India players and a fair smattering of their opponents will have played at the venue, for or against the Indian Premier League outfit the Sunrisers.
India should still retain their home field advantage with the surface tending to be high-scoring without being a total batsman’s paradise. At this stage of the season, the team batting first should aim for about 175 or higher, but it is essential to adapt on the fly as matches can be won with a modest target on the board or lost with more than 200 in the bank.
Virat Kohli returns to skipper a side that now begins to take shape for the T20 World Cup which is less than a year away. Kohli’s desperation to guide India to a major trophy will be growing with their last success coming in the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni, who also led the side to the 2011 World Cup win.
Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer are still duelling for a spot in India’s middle order, while allrounder Shivam Dube gives the men in Blue another left-handed batting option in the middle to lower order.
India field a strong bowling unit; featuring world-class spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, and the ever-improving Washington Sundar. Sundar can also be a handy batsman although he has some way to go to match the all-round talents of Ravindra Jadeja who can win matches with bat and ball in addition to being a gun fielder.
West Indies
The Windies are as dangerous and inconsistent as ever, they come into this series off the back of a shock series defeat to Afghanistan.
Much of their troubles in that home series stem from batting failures. The West Indies need to find a partner for Evin Lewis at the top of the order. While Brandon King smashed a memorable century in the CPL in October, he suffered three successive failures against Afghanistan, but it seems he will get another chance in India.
The Windies troubles cannot be hung on the young opener though with a middle-order packed with experience not delivering the goods. Shimron Hetmyer has promised much but delivered little in his international career while Kieron Pollard’s commitment to the cause seems to be perpetually in question.
Sheldon Cottrell and Kesrick Williams are match-winning bowlers, but they need the batsmen to come through.
Verdict: India 42/100
The Windies were abject at home, don’t write them off but India should take this.
Written by James Richardson for Hollywoodbets.
