Now that India have taken a smooth 2-0 lead in the ongoing ODI series against the Windies, making a few changes to the lineup can surely be justified.
The men in blue sailed their way to an easy win in Antigua as the host batsmen once again failed miserably against the discipline of Indian bowling. Needing 252 to win the game, the Windies were done and dusted for just 158 on board, with spin twins, R. Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav picking up three wickets apiece.
The Indian team has several talented individuals warming the bench since the series commenced. One obvious change would be to rope in pacer Mohammad Shami in the scheme of things. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has been on a roll so far can be rested to accommodate Shami in.
Another change would be to hand Rishab Pant a debut. Pant has set the arena abuzz with his talent and giving him a game is just a no brainer. Considering his destructive skills, the Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman can bat anywhere in the top order and get going right at the start. He ideally could either replace one of the openers or the middle order batsmen.
“We will surely look into making changes. We have quite a few players who haven’t had a game in a while,” Kohli said after India’s convincing win in the third ODI. “I think it was a clinical performance again. Early on, there was quite a bit of moisture, it was a good toss to win, and they bowled really well. It was a good batting effort to get us to 250,” Kohli added about the game.
“The wicket played much better in the second innings. The bowlers created pressure and got breakthroughs at the right moments. It’s about putting your hand up at the right time, it’s about how many people can stand up and put in those performances,” he said.