India and the Windies head into their ODI series, having both lost their last engagements in the format. While India went down in South Africa, the West Indies lost at home to Ireland.
India vs West Indies | Sunday 6 February 2022 | Motera Stadium, Ahmedabad | 10:00
To Win Match
India 36/100 | Tie 25/1 | West Indies 29/10
India
India have been hit hard by a spate of COVID-19 positives, which ruled out batters Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer, with Mayank Agarwal called into the squad and likely to open.
Rohit Sharma’s return bolsters a top-order that did reasonably well in South Africa.
The India middle-order is a significant concern considering the positions the team surrendered in their 3-0 whitewash at the hands of the Proteas.
Virat Kohli has a chance to prove afresh that he is one of the true greats of the game by bouncing back from the loss of the captaincy.
Windies
The loss to Ireland would have been mitigated by a T20I series win over England which many of these players took part in.
West Indies have recently found it difficult to maintain strong performances across the entire 50 overs of an innings in ODI cricket, whether with bat or ball.
In India, a spinner like Akeal Hosein could prove to be very valuable for the West Indies, who have also brought Fabian Allen and Hayden Walsh Jr.
With Jason Holder bowling well and Kemar Roach ready to return, the West Indies have experienced pacemen to complement their exciting spin attack.
Verdict: India
The hosts should have enough in the tank to get over the line against a West Indies side that lacks consistency.
