The match was highlighted by very good bowling performances from Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie, whereas the Indian middle-order struggled to deal with the tempo, bounce, and switch, resulting in a lacklustre complete of 181 in 40.5 overs on a rain-marred day.
As it occurred: India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI
Chasing the modest goal, West Indies had their nervous moments as effectively, going through a spirited spell from Shardul Thakur (3/42 in 8 overs). However, skipper Shai Hope (63 not out, 80 balls) anchored the innings brilliantly and located an in a position ally within the younger Keacy Carty (48 not out, 65 balls). The duo’s unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership of 91 runs ensured a cushty victory for West Indies in simply 36.4 overs.
The Indian group administration’s determination to relaxation common skipper Rohit Sharma and batting stalwart Virat Kohli raised eyebrows, and it quickly backfired as their absence uncovered the frailties within the middle-order. None of the middle-order batters might stand up to the relentless assault from the West Indies bowlers, leaving extra questions than solutions for the group administration forward of the celebrated ICC ODI World Cup.
West Indies skipper Shai Hope opted to area first after profitable the toss, anticipating the pitch to supply vital help to the bowlers. His determination turned out to be a masterstroke as his bowlers maintained a relentless depth all through the innings. India acquired off to a promising begin with a gap stand of 90 runs between the explosive Ishan Kishan (55 off 55 balls) and the proficient Shubman Gill (34 off 49 balls). However, the middle-order collapse that adopted shattered India’s hopes of posting a formidable complete.
The Indian middle-order, which was lacking the skilled duo of Sharma and Kohli, crumbled underneath strain when confronted with a fiery spell from the West Indies pacers. The likes of Jayden Seales (1/28 in 6 overs), Alzarri Joseph (2/35 from 7 overs), and Romario Shepherd (3/37 in 8 overs) utilised the bouncy pitch to nice impact, leaving the Indian batsmen in a tangle.
The turning level of India’s innings got here when Kishan, who seemed good throughout his half-century, tried to tackle Motie’s spin and ended up providing a catch to Alick Athanaze at level. Following Kishan’s dismissal, the Indian middle-order imploded, shedding 5 wickets for simply 23 runs in a mere 7.2 overs. Stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya (7 off 14 balls) struggled towards the short-ball techniques and ultimately succumbed to a pull shot, handing a straightforward catch to Brandon King at mid-wicket.
To preserve the left-right mixture intact, Sanju Samson (9 off 19 balls) and Axar Patel (1 off 8 balls) have been promoted up the order. However, each gamers discovered it difficult to counter the grip, flip, and bounce generated by the spinners Motie and Yannic Cariah (1/25 in 5 overs). Samson’s vulnerability towards leg-spin was as soon as once more uncovered when he edged one to the wicketkeeper whereas making an attempt a free shot.
Axar, identified extra for his white-ball batting prowess than his bowling, was anticipated to stabilise the innings. However, he fell sufferer to an excellent supply from Shepherd that brushed his gloves earlier than nestling into Shai Hope’s gloves.
The inept batting effort left the Indian group in despair as they completed with a meagre complete of 181, effectively under par on a difficult wicket.
Despite the intermittent rain delays, the West Indies bowlers showcased relentless dedication and self-discipline, guaranteeing there have been no lapses of their efforts. The victory marked an finish to West Indies’ chain of 9 successive bilateral defeats since December 2019, and it was a much-needed enhance for the Caribbean facet.
For India, this defeat has raised considerations about their middle-order vulnerabilities and choice selections, significantly the rationale behind resting key gamers with only some months remaining for the World Cup. The group administration must reassess their methods and presumably think about totally different combos within the upcoming matches to search out the proper stability earlier than the mega occasion.
(With inputs from PTI)
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com