The curious case of KL Rahul

PTI

Ahmedabad, February 8

Focus will be on vice-captain KL Rahul’s batting position on his return from a short break as a buoyant India aim to seal the three-match series against the West Indies in their second ODI here tomorrow.

The India spin duo Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar ran riot as they shot out West Indies for a meagre 176 and then skipper Rohit Sharma bossed the chase with a blistering 60, as the hosts recorded an easy six-wicket win at the Motera.

Under Rohit, India looked a completely overhauled unit after being whitewashed in South Africa and would certainly want to continue from where they left on Sunday.

The biggest positive is that Rohit, who had missed the South Africa series due to a hamstring injury, was brilliant on return.

He would be raring to take listless West Indies attack to the cleaners once again. Same for Ishan Kishan, who opened with Rohit and did a decent job with a 36-ball 28.

The confusion

But with Rahul being available from this game onwards, it remains to be seen whether the wristy Karnataka batter opens with the skipper or plays in the middle-order on a relatively slow track. Rahul skipped the first ODI for a personal engagement.

If he opens the batting, then Kishan will have to make way for the senior.

If Rahul bats in the middle-order then debutant Deepak Hooda, who played his part to perfection with an unbeaten 26 off 32 deliveries, might have to sit out as the team cannot afford to tinker with the rest of the middle-order comprising heavyweights Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav.

The game is also crucial for Kohli, who is enduring a lean patch and would like to get that 71st hundred that has been in the waiting for over two years.

On the bowling front, India dished out a clinical show as the spin duo Chahal and Washington ran through an unimpressive West Indies line-up.

The team management is unlikely to make any changes to the bowling attack.

But it remains to be seen if one of the two tweakers is dropped and left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who is also waiting in the wings, makes his way into the playing XI.

West Indies, on the other hand, will look to forget the hammering and eye improved show in an all the departments, especially batting.

Sunday was the 10th time in the last 16 games that West Indies failed to bat a full 50 overs. — PTI

Dhawan, Iyer return

New Delhi: Senior opener Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer, who had tested positive for Covid last week, had a light training session here on today evening after recovering and completing their isolation period. The duo was monitored by the BCCI medical team. However, it is highly unlikely that they will be straight away drafted into the playing XI.

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