IND vs WI, 2nd ODI, Preview: India Aim To Overcome Chennai Drubbing In Vizag

2nd-ranked India will be desperate to avoid a series defeat against a side which is seven spots lower to them

After a disappointing show in Chennai, India will have to get their bowling combination right when they take on a West Indies in the second ODI at Vishakapatnam on Wednesday, aiming to keep the three-match series alive.

A series win here would certainly raise Kieron Pollard's profile from a T20 freelancer to an able leader but a blinder from Rohit Sharma or another hundred from Virat Kohli on a batting belter can't be ruled out.

It wasn't a nightmarish bowling performance in Chennai by any stretch of the imagination but not being able to defend 287 on a slow Chennai track left the team management with a few points to ponder.

With the par-score at the ACA-VDCA stadium here set to be in the 320-plus range, a fifth specialist bowling option could be mulled upon considering the plight the hosts faced in the last game with Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope beautifully planning the chase with their respective hundreds.

The biggest reason for the setback in Chennai was spinners Ravindra Jadeja (0/58 in 10 overs) and Kuldeep Yadav (0/45 in 10 overs) being rendered ineffective.

For the West Indies, Hetmyer has undoubtedly been one of their key performers and getting his wicket will be the key for the Indian team.

West Indies' pacers were also on the money as Sheldon Cotterell and a fit-again Alzarri Joseph did a good job both at the beginning and the back-end of the Indian innings.

Keemo Paul also did his bit and the West Indies pace attack could be lauded for using a lot of variations including the slower deliveries to good effect.

But on a true pitch like Visakhapatnam, it will be a different challenge for the pace troika. The match starts at 1.30 p.m.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mayank Agarwal, Shardul Thakur, Manish Pandey.

West Indies: Kieron Pollard (captain), Sunil Ambris, Shai Hope, Khary Pierre, Roston Chase, Alzarri Joseph, Kieron Pollard (Captain), Sheldon Cottrell, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Keemo Paul, Hayden Walsh Jr.