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.

In the ODI match in Guwahati, Indian bowlers faced a powerful onslaught from the West Indies players, leading to an extremely poor performance by the Indian team. In the game held on Wednesday (September 30), West Indies players delivered a one-sided blow to the Indian bowlers. The West Indies team scored three hundreds, and the total score was 405/7, which is the highest score in ODI history for the West Indies.

In the second ODI, the West Indies managed to score an impressive 405/7 in 50 overs, thanks to centuries from John Campbell, Shai Hope, and Amir Jangguh. This result is the first score over 400 in ODI for the West Indies; previously, their best score was 389 against England in 2019.

For Akib Nabi, who debuted in ODI for India, the match turned out to be extremely unsuccessful. He conceded 84 runs in 8.5 overs and failed to take a single wicket. Thus, he became the Indian bowler who conceded the most runs in his debut ODI. His run rate exceeded the record of Carsan Gavaskar, who conceded 83 runs in 11 overs at Lord's against England in 1975. Furthermore, among the bowlers who bowled at least 30 deliveries, Nabi's economy rate in his debut ODI was 9.51.

Gurnoor Barar, used as a second-tier bowler, took 2 wickets, conceding 96 runs in 10 overs, remaining just four runs away from a hundred. Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna took one wicket, conceding 45 runs in 5 overs. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who was serving in the Asian Games, and the non-appearance of Mohammed Siraj significantly affected India. Moreover, experienced bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami did not get a chance. This performance raised many questions for the Indian team, which is looking for young bowling alternatives ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

West Indies started the game with an attack on the Indian bowlers. John Campbell demonstrated his signature style, reaching a century in just 65 balls. He was dismissed after scoring 101 runs off 68 balls, including 9 fours and 5 sixes. Following him, Shai Hope continued the innings, stabilizing the game before increasing the tempo. He avoided being caught on the short left side mid-wicket when the ball flew out of Kohli's hands. Hope capitalized on opportunities, scoring 104 runs off 94 balls, including 8 fours and 3 sixes.

Hope was supported by Amir Jangguh, who also played aggressively with the bat. He scored his second ODI century in just 69 balls, remaining unbeaten on 114 runs, using 13 fours and 3 sixes. Thanks to this, the West Indies achieved a triple century in ODI for the first time.

Only the spinners offered slight support to the Indian bowling. Kuldeep Yadav finished his 200 ODI runs with 2/65. Ravindra Jadeja performed with 2/75. All-rounder Naman Dheer also sustained an injury during his bowling spell, conceding 38 runs in 6.1 overs. After the 36th over, he injured his ankle and was forced to leave the field. Overall, this day proved extremely disappointing for Indian bowling in Guwahati.

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.