After the defeat at Chennai, Team India will be keen to field their best
combination and wrap up the one-day cricket series against the West Indies
here tomorrow.
The three-wicket defeat in the third ODI has reduced India's
advantage in the series to 2-1 and the hosts would like to regain the winning
momentum at a venue which has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for
them.
India have won four out of the five matches they have played
here, but significantly the only loss they suffered here was against the men
from the Caribbean in 2002-03 in a tall-scoring contest in which West Indies
successfully chased 290.
India are expected to field a left-right opening pair of Ganguly,
who was rested at Chennai, and Robin Uthappa, whose blazing innings of
70 off 41 balls was wasted by the middle and lower order batsmen.
The return of Dhoni would also strengthen the middle order.
Skipper Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar shored up the middle
overs with half-centuries at Chennai, but both would have liked to accelerate
a bit more and would be keen to do so at this venue where the bounce is unlikely
to be as high as at the Chidambaram Stadium.
The performance of Irfan Pathan, sent back to rediscover
his wicket-taking touch from South Africa before the end of the tour,
would be eagerly watched by selectors.
Pathan's presence also adds depth to the batting. His inclusion
would leave S. Sreesanth, so impressive in the Tests in South Africa, out of
the playing squad with Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan expected to complete the
hosts' pace attack.
The Indian think tank would also be eager to see Anil Kumble
strike form after his expensive spell in Chennai and the return of Harbhajan
Singh, who sat out the third ODI, would be keenly watched.
For the West Indies, the return of in-form batsman Shivnarine
Chanderpaul would be a huge plus after he was rested in the third ODI.
The squads: India: Rahul Dravid (capt), Sourav Ganguly, Robin
Uthappa, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni
(wk), Dinesh Kartik, Gautam Gambhir, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Ramesh Powar,
Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, S Sreeshanth.
West Indies: Brian Lara (capt), Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul,
Ronoko Morton, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Dinesh Ramdin (wk),
Lendl Simmons, Ian Bradshaw, Rayad Emrit, Darren Powell, Devon Smith, Jerome
Taylor.
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