Series level, it’s all to play for in crucial fourth ODI

OverviewIndia v Windies
4th ODI
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Monday, 29 October, 1:30pm local time, 08:0oam GMT

If anyone expected India, seven places above the Windies in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings and playing at home, to dominate the five-match ODI series, it certainly hasn’t gone to plan.

India did win the first ODI comfortably, by eight wickets with 47 balls left in their chase, but the Windies fought back to tie the second game and were convincing in a 43-run win in the third. India, such a force in the format, have been driven by Virat Kohli’s excellence with the bat, but the Windies have found their heroes, none bigger than Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope. Ashley Nurse, though, made the crucial difference from down the order in the last game, scoring quick runs and helped switch the momentum.

The two of them have been outstanding. Hope scored 32 in the first ODI, but has since hit 123* and 95, while Hetmyer has scored 106, 94 and 37. That’s 487 runs! Kohli, of course, has been on a level far above that of the others, scoring 140, 157* and 107, but at least in the last two games, it’s not been enough for India.

“We are not looking to compete anymore. We are looking to win,” said Marlon Samuels at the end of the third ODI, and that’s almost a warning to the Indians, one that they need to take very seriously.

With the exception of Kohli, India’s batting has been a bit patchy. Rohit Sharma scored 152* in the first game but has just 12 runs in the two innings since then. Ambati Rayudu’s 73 in the second game was a good effort, but that’s the only other score of 50-plus for the home side so far.

The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant and MS Dhoni will have to do more to make sure it’s not a matter of India faltering when their captain falters.

The good thing from the Indian point of view is that their spinners – Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja – have done well. But, then again, Ashley Nurse, Samuels and Devendra Bishoo have been impressive for the Windies too, so there’s not much to choose from there.

And while Jasprit Bumrah marked a good comeback to the XI with a four-for in the third ODI, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach and Obed McCoy have been impressive for the Windies too.

It’s all level, but the Windies look like they mean business. For India, who remain favourites despite the setback in the third game, the batsmen must provide Kohli the support he needs.

Key players

**Virat Kohli (India):**No one bar Kumar Sangakkara has scored four centuries in a row in ODIs, and Kohli is now part of a nine-man group with three. Another one will put him level with the Sri Lankan champion, and looking at his form, he might get there in Mumbai. That will be motivation, certainly, but for Kohli, it will be important to keep scoring runs anyway to make sure India have a good chance.

**Shai Hope (Windies):**Along with Hetmyer, Hope has kept the Windies dreaming in the series. A compact batsman, Hope is starting to make a big mark in ODI cricket, and this series might well be the start of great things for him. He doesn’t look like he wants to let go of the opportunity.

Conditions

They don’t play a lot of international cricket at Brabourne Stadium any more – the last ODI was way back in 2006, the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, when Australia beat the Windies. There should be runs to be scored, though, and the weather should be just right.

Squads

**India:**Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey

**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