Changes in the Indian squad ahead of the third ODI against West Indies in Mullumpur

The Indian team received a significant blow ahead of the third and final ODI match of the series against West Indies. Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out of participation in this match due to an injury.

India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, confirmed Prasidh Krishna's injury after the second ODI. Kotak stated that Prasidh Krishna's injury is being closely monitored, and further scanning and examinations will be conducted to assess his condition. The severity of the injury will be determined by subsequent medical checks, and the team management continues to monitor his physical fitness.

Prasidh Krishna played an important role for the team during the series as a bowler. Despite the injury that prevents him from participating in the third ODI, the Indian team already holds a 2-0 lead in the series, having defeated the West Indies in the second ODI held in Guwahati by 8 wickets.

The third and final match of the series will take place on October 3rd (Saturday) in New Chandigarh. During this series, Prasidh Krishna took 3 wickets in two matches. Now, it will be a matter of attention which bowler will be included in the starting lineup instead of Prasidh Krishna for this match. The goal of the Indian team in the third ODI is to win 3-0 in the series by demonstrating strong play.

Mohammed Siraj has not yet had a chance in this series, so, considering Prasidh Krishna's absence, the team management might give Mohammed Siraj a spot in the starting XI for the final ODI.

Despite having a star-studded batting lineup, the main focus in the upcoming second ODI against the West Indies will be on the Indian fast bowlers. In the first match, the performances of Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, who scored 296 runs, were insignificant, but the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya cast doubt on the fast bowling attack.

This match will take place in Guwahati at 14:00. In the first ODI played in Tiruvannamalai, India achieved its goal in less than 42 overs. Gill captained the side, Kohli scored in his characteristic style, and Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets, demonstrating his skill with the ball.

However, the picture regarding the fast bowlers was not entirely clear. Due to preparations for the upcoming World Cup next year, India introduced Nitish Kumar Reddy and rested Mohammed Siraj. This experiment did not meet expectations; Reddy, returning from injury, struggled for rhythm and lost 18 runs in his seven-ball over.

The main question now is whether India will give Reddy another chance with the new ball or bring back Mohammed Siraj. Jasprit Bumrah is in Japan for the Asian Games, and Hardik Pandya awaits fitness clearance. Thus, the squad for the second ODI could be significant in terms of World Cup preparation.

There might be an opening for the Jammu and Kashmir pacer, Akib Nabi. Although Nabi was included in the Indian team for the Test series against Sri Lanka, he has yet to make his international debut. India constantly looks for players who can contribute with both bat and ball. It was with this thought that Naman Dhir was included in the first ODI.

Dhir scored 33 runs in five overs but did not get a chance to bat. If Siraj returns, one of the all-round options will have to be dropped. Furthermore, including Nabi would require a complete reassessment of the team balance with an additional specialist bowler.

Regarding the batting, the most significant news for India is Virat Kohli's form. In the first ODI, Kohli looked completely in control, scoring a hundred runs off just 74 balls, making him the second Indian player after Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 15,000 runs in ODI cricket.

Kohli is now returning to the Baraspara stadium, where he scored his 45th century against Sri Lanka in January 2023. His current form heightens the tension for the second ODI. The only question is whether the West Indies bowlers can stop the Kohli-Gill duo this time.

For the West Indies, this match is a 'fight or die' situation, as they need a win to remain in the series. Their fielding also disappointed in the first ODI. Gill received early assistance and capitalized on it by scoring a hundred.

Coach Darren Sammy's team will attempt to end the long wait against India. The West Indies last won an ODI series against India in 2002. Therefore, the second ODI will feature a combination of Kohli's hot streak and close attention to the composition of the Indian fast bowling attack.

The Indian squad includes: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rituraj Gaikwad, K.L. Rahul (vice-captain), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Batra, Mohammed Siraj, Akib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir.

The second match of the three-match ODI series between India and West Indies will take place on September 30th at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Earlier, the Indian team secured a convincing victory by eight wickets in the first match in Tiruvannamalai.

Now, under Shubman Gill's leadership, the team aims to win this match to conclude the series.

Discussions about the composition of the Indian team have been active before the game. In the first match in Tiruvannamalai, India fielded six options for bowlers, but only three of them were highly specialized bowlers. The team had significant depth in batting. Currently, the management in Guwahati is deliberating whether to retain the current squad or add an extra fast bowler specialist to strengthen the bowling line.

Jasprit Bumrah is participating in the Asian Games with the Indian team, while Hardik Pandya is unavailable due to injury. Consequently, Mohammed Siraj is one of the most experienced options in the fast bowling department. Including Siraj in the starting lineup could make India's attack more balanced, especially if the team intends to end the series in the second match. However, Siraj's inclusion would require dropping one of the players.

Siraj could replace Aman Diar or Nitish Reddy in the starting XI. In the debut match, Aman Diar could not contribute in the batting, and he bowled 33 deliveries in five overs. Nevertheless, it will not be an easy decision for the team management to drop him after just one match. Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled 45 deliveries in five overs in the first ODI, and his first over with the new ball was quite expensive. However, Nitish's role is not limited to bowling; he is also an option for batting, which increases his importance to the team. Considering the uncertainty regarding Hardik Pandya's physical condition, India wants to prepare Nitish as a backup all-rounder.

In the first ODI, Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav made his return memorable by taking four wickets for 40 runs in 10 overs. His performance dispelled West Indies' hopes of a strong score. After such a performance, it is hard to imagine Kuldeep being dropped from the second ODI. His role in the spin department currently appears defined.

A possible Indian squad for the second ODI includes: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Ritwick Gaiwakar, K.L. Rahul (wicketkeeper), Aman Diar/Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Gurnoor Barar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj. A possible West Indies squad includes: John Campbell, Joel Andrew, Kesi Carty, Shy Hope (wicketkeeper/captain), Amir Jangeo, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Matthew Ford, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, and Zaden Silas.

Full Indian squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Ritwick Gaiwakar, K.L. Rahul (wicketkeeper), Aman Diar, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Gurnoor Barar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akib Nabi, and Dhruv Jurel. Full West Indies squad: John Campbell, Justin Griffiths, Kesi Carty, Shy Hope (captain/wicketkeeper), Amir Jangeo, Joel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Ford, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Zaden Silas, Kimmo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Sharf Joseph, and Vitell Lodge.