India v West Indies Preview, Match 28, Perth

India v West Indies Preview

 

India's campaign to retain the crown won with such flair four years ago has gathered steam with each one of its three outings to date. Unrecognisable as the misfiring side in the tri-series here in Australia in January, India has defeated Pakistan, South Africa and UAE with a mix of adventurism and common sense. Up next, at the WACA ground on Friday(March 6), is West Indies, exhilarating and entertaining one day, disappointing the next.

 

Gayle. Smith. Samuels. Simmons. Ramdin. Russell. Sammy. It’s the veritable Who’s Who of destructive batsmanship. When it gets it right, like it did against Pakistan and Zimbabwe – why, even in the loss to Ireland – it can be very good. But when things don't go according to plan like against South Africa, questions will be asked. The trick lies in finding the middle ground, in bridging that gulf between exuberance and circumspection. Friday at the WACA won’t be a bad place to begin work on that aspect.

Teams (from):

India: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt, wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Stuart Binny, Axar Patel, Ambati Rayudu.

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Jonathan Carter, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Jason Holder (capt), Kemar Roach, Sheldon Cottrell, Sulieman Benn, Nikita Miller, Jerome Taylor, Johnson Charles.