IND vs WI, 1st ODI: Kohli-led India To Lock Horns With Windies in Series Opener At Guyana

The Indians would start as favourites against the Maroon Brigade after their stellar showing in the recently concluded T20 series where they clean swept the Windies.

Team India will look to take their winnning form from the T20 series into the 50-over format when they lock horns with West Indies in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Providence Stadium on Thursday. The Indians would start as favourites against the Maroon Brigade after their stellar showing in the recently concluded T20 series where they clean swept the Windies. India dominated the West Indies in the T20I series where they outclassed the opposition in all the three departments. With Shikhar Dhawan back in the side, he will have the responsibility to give India a solid start alongside Rohit Sharma. K.L. Rahul, who opened the innings in World Cup alongside Rohit, is likely to go back to his number four slot with skipper Virat Kohli coming ahead of him. A contest between Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer is likely to be seen for the remaining middle-order slot. Iyer was not able to find a place in the three T20Is and it is highly possible that the team management may go ahead with him in the ODIs. Another contest can be seen between Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav for a spot of an all-rounder and a leg-spinner. In the fast bowling department, Kohli might give rest to Bhuvneshwar Kumar who played all the three T20Is and can bring Mohammad Shami to bowl alongside Navdeep Saini and Khaleel Ahmed. This ODI series will be India's first 50-over assignment after the World Cup debacle and the Men in Blue will fancy their chances against the West Indies side which will be strengthened by the inclusion of Chris Gayle in their squad. Gayle during the World Cup had announced that the home series against India will be his last and thus Jason Holder will hope that the 39-year-old bids farewell to international cricket in grand style. John Campbell, Roston Chase and all-rounder Keemo Paul have all been recalled to the 14-member squad for the ODIs. Squads: India: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kedar Jadhav, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Navdeep Saini West Indies: Jason Holder (capt), Chris Gayle, John Campbell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Roston Chase, Fabian Allen, Carlos Brathwaite, Keemo Paul, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas, Kemar Roach.