"India vs. West Indies 1st ODI: Preview, Pitch Report, Fantasy 11, and Sanju vs. Ishan - Battle for a Spot in the XI!"

Match Details - India vs. West Indies, 1st ODI

Date: July 27, 2023

Venue: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

Time: 7:30 PM (IST)

Today Morning Update:

"Mohammed Siraj has returned to India from the ODI squad as the team management wants to give him rest ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 and World Cup 2023".

India Squad:

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik.

West Indies Squad:

Shai Hope (c) (wk), Rovman Powell (vc), Alick Athanaze, Kyle Mayers, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Dominic Drakes, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas, Jayden Seales.

Probable Playing 11:

India: 1. Rohit Sharma (c), 2. Shubman Gill, 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Suryakumar Yadav, 5. Sanju Samson (Wk), 6. Hardik Pandya (vc), 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Axar Patel, 9. Kuldeep Yadav, 10. Jaydev Unadkat, 11. Umran Malik.

West Indies: 1. Kyle Mayers, 2. Brandon King, 3. Shai Hope (Wk & c), 4. Shimron Hetmyer, 5. Alick Athanaze, 6. Keacy Carty, 7. Rovman Powell, 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Oshane Thomas, 10. Alzarri Joseph, 11. Yannic Cariah.

Match Preview:

The 1st ODI between India and West Indies marks the beginning of India's preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The visitors will be keen to fine-tune their skills and combinations as the marquee event approaches. On the other hand, West Indies will be disappointed with their recent performance, having failed to qualify for the World Cup 2023 during the Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe. With no immediate incentives in ODI cricket, West Indies may use this series to experiment and identify areas of improvement.

With the absence of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, the 1st ODI presents a golden opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson to stake their claim for a permanent spot in India's ODI team at positions No. 4 and 5, respectively. Both players have shown tremendous potential and have been in good form in domestic and T20 cricket.

Suryakumar Yadav has impressed with his consistent performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic circuit. He has a wide range of shots and can anchor the innings as well as accelerate when needed. No. 4 is a crucial position in the batting order, and if Suryakumar can make the most of this chance, he can solidify his place in the middle order, providing stability and firepower.

Sanju Samson, on the other hand, is a talented wicketkeeper-batsman who has been on the fringes of the Indian team for some time. He has the ability to play big innings and can be a reliable option at No. 5. With his wicketkeeping skills and aggressive batting style, Sanju can add depth to the batting lineup.

Pitch Report:

The Kensington Oval in Barbados is expected to offer a decent surface for the white-ball game. The pitch will provide assistance to seamers early on with movement and bounce. However, as the game progresses, the conditions are likely to become more favorable for batsmen to score runs freely.

Fantasy 11 Team:

Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson, Shai Hope

Batters: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja

Bowler: Kuldeep Yadav, Romario Shepherd

  

Captain & Vice-Captain Picks:

Captain: Rohit Sharma / Shubman Gill

Vice-Captain: Hardik Pandya / Sanju Samson

With both teams having talented players in their ranks, the 1st ODI promises to be an exciting contest. India will be eager to start their World Cup preparations on a winning note, while West Indies will look to bounce back and gain some momentum. Cricket fans can expect a thrilling encounter at the Kensington Oval in Barbados