After a lopsided eight-wicket victory in Thiruvananthapuram, the Indian cricket team will now aim to seal the series in the second ODI against the West Indies at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, Team India, which has taken a 1-0 lead, is looking to retain its winning combination and strengthen its fast bowling attack.

IND vs WI 2nd ODI: India will aim to win the series in Guwahati, Mohammed Siraj is set to return to the playing 11!

Opportunity to seal the series in Barsapara, buzz about a reshuffle in the bowling department

In the first ODI played in Thiruvananthapuram, West Indies, batting first, scored 295 for 7 in 50 overs .

In reply, India achieved the target in 41.4 overs for the loss of only 2 wickets, thanks to brilliant centuries from Virat Kohli (139*) and captain Shubman Gill (110) .

However, despite the resounding batting victory, the performance of the Indian fast bowling remains a concern.

All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy proved quite expensive, conceding 45 runs in his five overs.

Reddy also failed to impress with the new ball, conceding 18 runs in his first over. Meanwhile, Naman Dheer conceded 33 runs in his five overs.

In such a scenario, primary fast bowler Mohammed Siraj could be brought back into the playing XI as a specialist bowler. Captain Gill has already made it clear that he needs batting depth up to number 8, but given the need for specialist bowlers, one of Nitish or Naman may have to sit out.

Official statement / Team management’s stance

The condition of Barsapara Stadium and the expectations of the fans

The pitch at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium is traditionally considered a batsman-friendly one. Teams often choose to bowl first after winning the toss, as dew plays a crucial role later in the match. Local fans are extremely excited about the match, and there is a huge crowd of supporters outside the stadium waiting for tickets. If India wins this match, it will take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

India’s probable playing 11: 
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Naman Dheer/Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnur Brar, Prasidh Krishna.