India and Windies are set for the second game of the three-match ODI series at Dr Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium (Visakhapatnam). Windies won the toss and decided to bowl first. While Windies have made two changes from the last ODI playing XI, the hosts have made one alteration.
The visiting side Windies are currently leading this series by 1-0. On last Sunday (15th December), Windies won the first match of this series by eight wickets (with 13 balls remaining) at Chennai. After winning the toss, the visitors restricted the hosts to 287/8 (50 overs). In reply, Windies chased down that target in 47.5 overs after losing two wickets, thanks to the centurions Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer.
The ongoing Visakhapatnam ODI is the must-win game for India to stay in the contest of winning this series. Meanwhile, Windies can secure this series if they finish this game with a victory.
Coming to the Visakhapatnam ODI, Windies captain Kieron Pollard once again won the toss after calling tail during the coin toss and decided to bowl first. The visitors have made two changes – Evin Lewis joined as the replacement of Sunil Ambris and Khary Pierre makes ODI debut after replacing Hayden Walsh Jr.
Pollard said, “We are going to field first. Sometimes you don’t know how the surface plays, so better to know what you are chasing. We have to deal with what is in the present. We have two changes: Lewis comes in for Ambris, Khary Pierre makes his debut for Walsh”
India made one change in the playing XI
After losing the toss, Indian captain Virat Kohli has confirmed to make one change in the playing XI as Shardul Thakur replaced Shivam Dube.
Kohli said, “We wanted to field first. This is a ground where we have chased well. The pitch is better to play on than the last game. I think the dew was a massive factor in the last game. Hetmyer played brilliantly and Hope as well. We need to be more brave and bring in the intensity to the game. It boils down to small things. Our overseas record has been better. Shivam Dube misses out and Shardul Thakur comes in.”
Here are the playing XIs of both the teams:
India playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(wk), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav
Windies playing XI: Shai Hope(wk), Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Roston Chase, Kieron Pollard(c), Jason Holder, Keemo Paul, Alzarri Joseph, Sheldon Cottrell, Khary Pierre