Shimron Hetmyer stretches•Aug 03, 2022•Associated Press
West Indies know their best combination less well. The wizards of T20 cricket have to play the qualifiers at the World Cup. Who knows if Andre Russell will be fit and if Sunil Narine will be picked.
For various reasons, Sheldon Cottrell, Fabian Allen and Evin Lewis are also missing the games against India. With the series on the line, this is a good opportunity for the fringe players to push into the squad.
Players to watch
Deepak Hooda has not set a foot wrong this year, but he still can’t force his way into the first-choice XI for India when everybody is available. However, he still has time to force his way into the squad, and into the XI should one of the batters struggle in the World Cup.
Nicholas Pooran, the most established T20 batter in the West Indies line-up, struggled to score at a-run-a-ball against the cutters of Hardik Pandya and the offspin of Ashwin in the third T20I. He will have to face more of it if there is any grip in the pitch, and he will have to find a way.
Team news
A lot of focus will be on Rohit Sharma’s fitness after he retired hurt with back spasms in the third T20I. He has missed more matches than he has played since assuming full-time captaincy, and India will not want to risk a serious injury so close to the World Cup. He will play only if fully confident of his fitness. On the bowling front, India could go full-strength by picking Harshal Patel over Avesh Khan, who has not had the best of series.
A bowling allrounder in Dominic Drakes instead of a batting allrounder in Odean Smith is the composition West Indies are likely to stick with. They could, however, bring in Smith for wicketkeeper Devon Thomas, with Pooran donning the big gloves. (ESPNcricinfo)
Match time 10:30h
