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HomeCricBlogIndia vs West Indies 4th ODI Preview + Dream11

India vs West Indies 4th ODI Preview + Dream11

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Last Updated on 1 week by Charbel Coorey

India vs West Indies 4th ODI Preview + Dream11 Cricket Blog CricBlog Cricket Preview

The fourth ODI is upon us, and in a welcome surprise, it is not a dead rubber.

The build up to this match is almost as much about who Kedar Jadhav comes into the side for, as much as who wins the game. West Indies have been superb in exposing India’s shortcomings, with the home side now under pressure to avoid the disappointing result of not winning the series at home to the number eight ranked ODI side.

Who will take a 2-1 series lead?

India’s skipper Virat Kohli could very well be in doubt due to a back problem, carrying the batting line up over the last two ODIs. 48% and 44% have been Virat Kohli’s contributions to India’s runs over the last two games respectively, and the men in blue desperately need more from the middle order. Will Kedar Jadhav’s return inspire an improvement?

West Indies have grown in belief with every passing ball in this series. Their ability to get into the middle order has been key to their success, and so too of course the fantastic form of Shai Hope, Shemron Hetmyer and Ashley Nurse. Can West Indies get to the fifth ODI with no chance of losing the series?

Key to an India win

India’s top three have averaged nearly 62 since the World Cup in 2015, paving the way for many a victory for the men in blue. However, the difference between the top three and numbers five, six and seven is the most among too teams in this period.
Ideally, India will want their middle order to contribute to victory, but so much still relies on the top three. Kedar Jadhav’s return could be a boost, but will the balance of the side improve? Rumours of Rishabh Pant being the player to potentially make way leaves India in the same predicament of carrying an out of form MS Dhoni, possibly piling the pressure on Kedar Jadhav to perform if needed. Can the top order, led by the incredible Kohli, perform to lift the pressure?
Also, with the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India improved with the ball but plenty was left to be desired as a whole. Kumar was below his best, reflective of India’s series with the ball, topped off by conceding 280+ in Pune, a total 30 more than they were on track to concede. Can they put together a more cohesive performance?

Key to a West Indies win

When India have been successful, it has largely been on the back of at least two of their top three scoring large. However, West Indies have been able to dismiss Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan cheaply in the last two games, which has seen the Windies be ultra competitive. The same key stands today, with the likes of Jason Holder and Ashley Nurse vital in taking the pace off the ball, and building pressure on India’s line up.
Also, it is an incomplete claim to say the Windies bowling at the top has been central to their efforts. The visitors have now piled on 926 runs in three matches, on the back of Shai Hope and Shemron Hetmyer, who now must believe in their amazing talent. Who else (i.e. Kieron Powell and Marlon Samuels) will deliver for the visitors with the bat? Can West Indies put together another fighting effort against an India attack keen to improve?
Possible XIs

 
Kedar Jadhav is back from injury, and will likely replace Rishabh Pant, which still leaves India with the MS Dhoni problem. This is unlikely to be the day where India management make the big call on Dhoni. Also, expect Ravindra Jadeja to come in for Khaleel Ahmed.
India XI: 1. Rohit Sharma, 2. Shikhar Dhawan, 3. Virat Kohli (c), 4. Ambati Rayudu, 5. Kedar Jadhav/Rishabh Pant, 6. MS Dhoni (wk), 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9. Yuzvendra Chahal, 10. Kuldeep Yadav, 11. Jasprit Bumrah
West Indies will likely field the same side that won in Pune. A lot of the spotlight will be on Marlon Samuels, who is yet to deliver this series.
West Indies XI: 1. Chandrapaul Hemraj, 2. Kieran Powell, 3. Shai Hope (wk), 4. Shimron Hetmyer, 5. Marlon Samuels, 6. Rovman Powell, 7. Jason Holder (c), 8. Ashley Nurse, 9. Fabian Allen, 10. Obed McCoy/Oshane Thomas, 11. Kemar Roach

Dream11

Should batting or bowling dominate your Dream11 side? Below is my team, with a few pointers.
  • You’d be very brave to pick MS Dhoni over Shai Hope.
  • Virat Kohli has three consecutive hundreds in this series, and is a must. Also, I am still backing Shikhar Dhawan to go big.
  • Kedar Jadhav will likely slot back into the team, and offers plenty with his round-arm off spin, as well as his street-smart batting.
  • Ashley Nurse offers good value, and picking the Bumrah-Chahal-Kuldeep trio is a good move.

Stats and Facts

  • West Indies’ win in Pune was just their fifth ODI win vs India in India since January 2007.
  • West Indies have scored 926 runs in this series to date.
  • India’s top three averages 62 in ODIs since the 2015 World Cup. That is 16 runs more than next best England.
  • If Virat Kohli scores a century in the fourth ODI, he will become the second player to score four consecutive ODI hundreds.
  • This will be the first ODI hosted by Brabourne Stadium since the ICC Champions Trophy Final in November 2006.

Prediction

From a neutral perspective, it is great to see such a competitive series.
Will India ease fans’ concerns or will West Indies take a 2-1 lead?
India remain the favourites, and I will back them to take a series lead on the back of a more clinical display. However, as I love an underdog, I am hoping the Windies do well!
Thanks for reading!
Charbel Coorey
Charbel Cooreyhttps://cricblog.net
Charbel is the owner & founder of cricblog.net, based in Sydney, Australia. He started the website to fulfill his love for the game of cricket. Charbel has been featured on other publications including OP India, Times of India, and The Roar, among others. He is also a keen fantasy sports player. Charbel has also had the privilege of interviewing cricketers on the CricBlog TV YouTube channel, including James Neesham, Rassie van der Dussen, Andrew Tye, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat and Saurabh Netravalkar: https://www.youtube.com/@cricblogtv For any story tips or questions, you can contact Charbel at charbelcoorey@cricblog.net.

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