5 Indian cricketers to watch out for during the West Indies tour

Indian team has reached West Indies to play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five T20I matches. For the ODI series, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have been rested. Shikhar Dhawan will lead the team in the ODIs while Rohit Sharma and some other senior players will return for the T20I series. 

However, Kohli, who has been out of form of late, has been rested for all the eight matches. 

West Indies were in India in February 2022 to play three ODIs and three T20Is and had lost all the games.The hosts will be seeking revenge. The West Indies ODI squad also has key players like Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Brandon King and Keacy Carty. 

In the absence of senior players, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Shikhar Dhawan will have a lot of responsibilities.

Here are five Indian players to watch out for:    

1. Ruturaj Gaikwad

Though Gaikwad hasn’t played an ODI yet, his domestic record in 50-over cricket speaks volumes about him. Gaikwad has an average of 54.73 and a strike rate of 100 in 63 innings, ESPN cricinfo reported.

By the end of 2021, Gaikwad had scored 603 runs with four centuries in five matches for Maharashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The right-handed batter can open the innings if the team goes for a left-right combination with Shikhar Dhawan on the other side.

2. Ravindra Jadeja

In the absence of Hardik Pandya, Jadeja will be a key allrounder as he has been in a good form. Jadeja had a dull IPL season where he had to leave the tournament in the middle due to an injury. But his comeback in the fifth Test against England was brilliant. In the first innings, Jadeja scored 104 (194).

3. Deepak Hooda

The young right-handed batter and right-arm off spinner had a great show in the T20Is against Ireland. He made 104 off 57 balls in the second T20I. 

Hooda made his ODI debut against West Indies earlier this year. He also had a phenomenal IPL season where he scored 451 runs for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). With the ball too, he can contribute with his off-spin.

4. Mohammed Siraj

In the absence of Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj will be leading the pace attack with Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan.

In the last ODI he played against England at Old Trafford on July 17, Siraj got two wickets in nine overs he bowled, at an economy of 7.33. On the tough tracks of Trinidad, Siraj will have an uphill task of getting wickets.

5. Yuzvendra Chahal

Chahal would be the main spinner for team India against West Indies. The right arm leg-break bowler had a very good outing against England. In the last ODI against England. Chahal took 3/60 to take India to victory. He took 4/47 in the second match. 

But, for Chahal and other spinners, the wickets of West Indies, which do not offer much to the spinners, can be a negative point.