We have opted for a fantasy cricket team based on the recent performances, overall impact, and credit points.
Pitch Report for West Indies vs India 1st ODI
Incidentally, the last ODI series at the Port of Spain in Trinidad was between West Indies and India. The average first and second innings score was 276 and 223 respectively. Historically, the wicket has always assisted the spinners.
Probable West Indies & India XIs for the Match
Probable XI for West Indies: Shai Hope (wk), Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (c), Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Jason Holder, Jayden Seales/Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie
Probable XI for India: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh/Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna
Power Players for the Match
Yuzvendra Chahal picked 7 wickets in the last two ODIs against England. Against the West Indies, he has taken 13 wickets, including the best figures of 4 for 49 in 7 outings. He should enjoy bowling on the slow wickets of the Caribbean.
Shreyas Iyer loves feasting on the West Indian bowlers. When he last visited the Caribbean in 2019, he slammed 4 consecutive half-centuries. Earlier this year, he scored 80 against them at Ahmedabad.
Jason Holder’s best ODI bowling figures of 5 for 27 have come against India, in 2017. With the bat, he has 2 half-centuries to his credit against them.
Smart Picks for the Match
Shikhar Dhawan could manage only 41 runs in the ODI series against England. That said, given the absence of several senior players, the onus will be on him to lay a good foundation at the top. He has registered 4 fifties in 9 ODIs at the Port of Spain.
Along with Akeal Hosein, West Indies will also rely on Gudakesh Motie to strike in the middle overs. He ended up bagging 6 wickets in 3 ODIs against Bangladesh.
Shai Hope has struggled in the format lately with scores of 2, 18, 0, 21, and 4. However, he has tasted success against India before by scoring 2 hundreds and 4 half-centuries in 19 attempts.
Prasidh Krishna might have picked only two wickets in the ODIs against England, but he was far from his best. However, he will draw confidence from the fact that he finished as the highest wicket-taker (9 at 7.56) when West Indies toured India earlier in the year.
After failing in the first two ODIs against Bangladesh, Nicholas Pooran finished the series with a fine 73. Against India, he has collected 354 runs at 44.25. Recently, he has also started to contribute with his off-spinners. In the final ODI against Pakistan last month, he grabbed a four-wicket haul. He also generates points through his wicketkeeping.
On the England tour, Suryakumar Yadav once again showed what he is capable of. Against West Indies in ODIs, his scores read read 34*, 64 and 6.
Shamarh Brooks might have failed against Bangladesh, but he has shown signs of great temperament and application. He has a hundred and 3 fifties in his 15-match ODI career.
When it comes to generating fantasy points with the bat and ball and in the field, Ravindra Jadeja arguably takes the cake. Expect him to please fantasy players in this series too.
Also Read:
India vs West Indies ODI Head-to-Head Stats
West Indies vs India 1st ODI Match Preview
India will come into this series high on confidence after winning the ODIs against England. On the other hand, West Indies suffered a whitewash at home against Bangladesh. Moreover, India are on a five-match winning streak over the West Indies and are the favourites to come out trumps in the Caribbean once again.
Time: 22 July, 7.00 PM IST