India plays West Indies in the first game of the four-match ODI series, only days after crashing out early of the ICC World T20 tournament. West Indies, on the other hand, had beaten India in the Super Eights and entered the semi-finals before their giant-killing run was ended at the hands of Sri Lanka.
Currently, there isn’t much to choose from between the two teams. Although India (5/6 at Sporting Bet to win game) goes into the match as a favourite, it will be a mistake to discount the West Indies (11/10 at 888Sport to beat India). In the last series the two had played in the Caribbean, a full-strength Indian side was roundly beaten by the West Indies 4-1 and they will do well to carry those memories.
However, this time around, India goes into the series with six of their players been rested or injured; Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina have one or the other niggle, while Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel have been shown the door for now.
This also means that there are six, relatively new cricketers who will replace the originally well-balanced Indian team, making it difficult to call on who finally makes it to the final playing eleven. The ones who are sure to be a part of the final 11 include Gautam Gambhir (current favourite at 4/1 at Ladbrokes to be best Indian batsman), Yuvraj Singh, M.S.Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan amongst the batsmen. To me, Yuvraj (9/2 at Sky Bet to be top Indian batsman) looks to be in good touch, and may continue with that spark that he had exhibited during the World T20.
It will depend on Dhoni a great deal whether he wants to get a wicket-keeper into the squad – Dinesh Karthik – to back his half broken finger bones, or buffer up the middle order with the likes of S.Badrinath and the new-comer Abhishek Nayar. Karthik (12/1 at Stan James to top Indian batting) did look like he was in supreme touch during the IPL, but has had this look of reluctance in playing him in the side!
West Indies will definitely rely on their skipper, Chris Gayle (7/2 at Ladbrokes to be top West Indian batsman) to fire, but one mustn’t forget the duo of Ramnaresh Sarwan (4/1 at Ladbrokes be best West Indian batsman) and Shiv Chanderpaul (4/1 at 888Sport to be best West Indian batsman). The fifty over format, even in Dhoni’s words, gives a lot more time to adjust, and this is where the duo is at its dangerous best; despite their relative failures in the World T20 and the sacking during the IPL.
David Bernard and Narsingh Deonarine are the relatively new faces in the squad, with a new-comer in Darren Bravo, but my punt will be on his brother, Dwayne Bravo (8/1 at Stan James to be best West Indian batsman) to deliver the goods. He was one of the best all-rounders during the World T20 and will want to continue in the same vein.
Amongst all the batsmen, there will be two who will want to prove that they are at back at their best and I will tip them to get to their respective fifties. Ladbrokes offers 9/4 for Dhoni to get to his half century, and 7/4 for Sarwan to do the same, and given that they will bat very high up the order, my sense is that they have a good chance at doing the same.
Tips:
Favourites: India (5/6 at Sporting Bet)
Top Indian batsman: Yuvraj Singh (9/2 at Sky Bet)
Top West Indian batsman: Ramnaresh Sarwan (4/1 at Ladbrokes)
