 The
West Indies have managed to keep the series and that is just the tonic they need
going into the fourth ODI against India on Thursday at Indore. A spirited
fightback that led them to the victory has also signaled to India that they are
not to be taken lightly. On the other hand, India are still searching for answers
to some of their critical batting concerns.
Click for Live Score Card of India Vs West Indies
India have worries in their batting, with Parthiv Patel, Virender Sehwag
and Gautam Gambhir all looking off-color. The bulk of the batting load has been
carried by Rohit Sharma who is showing signs of maturity with each game.
With definite signs of struggle in the top order, they would be expected to
fire in the crunch game to not only silence their critics but also to not allow West Indies a sniff in leveling the series. Although 260 was not an impossible
total, the think tank would be worried at how the Indian bowlers leaked over
100 runs the final ten overs.
Once the opposition batsmen got in, the young bowlers looked out of sorts to
disrupt the flow, and will be a test going into the fourth match. Irfan Pathan,
the left-arm pacer, makes a comeback to the national squad after two years,
though it remains to be seen whether he gets a game or not.
West Indies will be hoping to ensure their last win is not a one-off but rather
a streak. Vital contributions from all the batsmen were a satisfying sign, though
they would love for one of their batsmen to bat all the way through the innings.
Ravi Rampaul continues his good year with the ball, and will again look
to shoulder most of the responsibility in the department. Off-spinner Sunil
Narine will know that the Indian batsmen will come hard at him following his
impressive performance on debut.
India have won both their matches at this ground, beating England. India will
still start the game as favorites, though this time the neutral fan can expect
an even tougher battle between the two sides.
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