Dominant India aim for 2-0 lead in Visakhapatnam

Overview
India v Windies
2nd ODI
ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam
Wednesday, 24 October, 01:30 PM local time, 08:00 AM GMT

It's not everyday that a team chases down 323 runs in just 42.1 overs, not everyday that two top order batsmen put up the team's highest partnership while chasing and certainly not everyday that an opening batsman becomes the one with the most number of 150+ scores in ODI cricket.

This was the story of India's domination of the Windies in the first ODI in Guwahati, where an unbeaten 152 by Rohit Sharma, a 140 by captain Virat Kohli and a 246-run partnership between the two made light work of the 323-run target that the Windies had set and offered another reminder of the strength of the Indian top order.

This was even as India were without three of their front-line bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah were rested from the first two games, and Kuldeep Yadav sat out. It came after a century from the 21-year-old Shimron Hetmyer, a blazing 106 off just 78 balls with six fours and as many sixes, had taken the visitors to a daunting total of 322/8 before another 21-year-old, Oshane Thomas, on debut, bowled Shikhar Dhawan for four to reduce India to 10/1.

While Sharma played second-fiddle in the first half of the run chase when Kohli pressed the foot against the accelerator and was scoring at more than a run a ball, once the captain was dismissed with the score 256/2, and India still needing 67 runs from 17 overs, Sharma took it up a notch and made sure India reached the target within the next 10 overs.

But for all the might with the bat, the game wasn't a flawless one for the hosts. Mohammed Shami, playing an ODI after a gap of more than a year, was taken for 81 runs in his 10 overs in return for two wickets, while Umesh Yadav conceded 64 and went wicket-less.

The find of the Asia Cup for India, left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed, also had a hot-and-cold kind of day in Guwahati, giving away 64 for a wicket from 10 overs. Yuzvendra Chahal was the pick of the bowlers with his 3/41 while Ravindra Jadeja returned two wickets as well.

In the absence of first-choice fast bowlers, the back-up Indian seamers were found wanting against some aggressive batting from the Windies – Kieran Powell scored a 39-ball 51 at the top of the order and Kemar Roach struck 26 off 22 towards the death to take his team past 300.

And while these batting performances were the highlights for the Windies, as was Hetmyer's attacking approach against the spinners in the middle overs, the bowling, much like India's, didn't have much to show.

Roach was taken for 52 off seven overs while Thomas had a less-than-perfect debut as he was taken for 83 off his nine. Spinners Ashley Nurse and Devendra Bishoo were expensive too. Only captain Jason Holder (45 off eight overs) was able to restrict the scoring.

Going into the second game, the visitors will be well-advised to dwell on the issues with the ball, especially the inability to absorb pressure when put under the pump by aggressive batting.

Thomas has the pace but needs to do better in terms of line and length while the spinners may look to bowl slower in the air and give the ball the chance to grip off the surface.

The Indian pacers will have to better their performance as well, as it will not be everyday that they will be rescued by the spinners, who returned five wickets for 107 runs from their 20 overs. The hosts will also hope that the untested middle order comprising Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant gets a longer hit out in the middle.

Key players

Virat Kohli (India): The Indian captain was rested for the Asia Cup and has only just returned to the fold after the England tour that ended in September, and hence looks hungry for runs. He brought up his 36th ODI century upon return, his 20th in successful chases – the most by any Indian player – and his 14th as India captain, and looks set for many more. He needs 81 more runs to get to 10,000 in ODIs.

Shimron Hetmyer (Windies): The 21-year-old hit his third ODI century and his first in India as the Windies galloped to an imposing total despite wickets falling at regular intervals. His attacking instincts were on full show as he hit aerial shots against spinners as well as fast bowlers in the middle overs. Indian bowlers will be wary.

Conditions

It is expected to be hot and sunny in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday and there's a 30 per cent chance of rain as well. India last played an ODI at the venue in December 2017 where they hunted down Sri Lanka's 215 in just 32.1 overs. Evidenced from that, the surface can be expected to be good for batting.

Squads

**India:**Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Syed Khaleel Ahmed

**Windies:**Jason Holder (c), Fabian Allen, Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Kieran Powell, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Oshane Thomas, Obed McCoy