India and the West Indies lock horns again in the third ODI of the ongoing series at the PCA International Stadium in New Chandigarh on Saturday, October 3. The home team have already swept the series with victories in the first two matches, and will be looking to effect a whitewash over their opponents. While the men from the Caribbean impressed with the bat in both games, they were found wanting in the bowling department. The likes of Amir Jangoo, John Campbell and captain Shai Hope all scored centuries in the second match.
But their bowlers could not quite live up to expectations and allowed the Indians to chase down a mammoth target of 406 quite comfortably. The West Indies bowlers failed to stem the flow of runs scored by Rohit Sharma and India captain Shubman Gill. The latter scored a double century in the second match and virtually took the game away from the visitors. For India, the bowling unit suffered too, but the placidity of the surface and small boundaries at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati proved to be tough to overcome.
Nonetheless, spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja picked up two wickets apiece, while pacer Gurnoor Brar also supported them with two of his own. The West Indies will have to rely on their spin twins Roston Chase and Vitel Lawes to break the Indian partnerships and prevent them from scoring freely. But the use of pace cannot be done away with completely, especially since the Indians have shown some weakness when playing against hard lengths.
Predicted Teams
IND: Rohit Sharma,
Shubman Gill (c),
Virat Kohli,
Ruturaj Gaikwad,
KL Rahul (wk),
Naman Dhir,
Ravindra Jadeja,
Auqib Nabi,
Gurnoor Brar,
Kuldeep Yadav,
Prasidh Krishna.
WI: John Campbell,
Keacy Carty,
Shai Hope (c) (wk),
Amir Jangoo,
Sherfane Rutherford,
Roston Chase,
Keemo Paul,
Alzarri Joseph,
Shamar Joseph,
Jayden Seales,
Vitel Lawes.
Key Players
Ravindra Jadeja (IND): All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja showed that he still has his class intact by picking up a couple of wickets in the second match. Jadeja is one of the longest-serving members of the Indian team and has repeatedly showcased why he deserves to be ranked among the world's best all-round players. The southpaw is a handy addition with the bat, too, where he can deliver quick runs under pressure. His left-arm orthodox spin has, by now, gained almost mythical status in Indian cricket circles. He can be expected to deliver both with bat and ball till the next ODI World Cup, slated to be held in 2027.
Shamarh Joseph (WI): Shamarh Joseph was one of the few West Indies seamers who held his own against India in the second match in Guwahati. Although he picked up just one wicket in the six overs he bowled, Joseph impressed with the areas he pitched the ball in. His willingness to use variations also helped his team's cause. Joseph is one of the most exciting prospects in the West Indian squad, and if he continues to use the slower ball as effectively as the yorker, he will be hard to score runs against. He can be used both in the first powerplay when the ball is new and later at the death when it gets a little old.
Match Prediction
India have the upper hand over the West Indies and will be expected to complete the clean sweep. Therefore, the pressure, too, will be more on the home team than on the West Indies. The visiting side will use this game as an opportunity to test new combinations as well as new strategies. Since they have already lost the series, the Windies will be keen on giving chances to the youngsters in their squad to showcase their potential. India, meanwhile, are likely to continue with the same XI.