Visakhapatnam, Dec 1 (IANS) Having made a mess of the run chase in the opening cricket ODI against West Indies, India will have much ground to cover in the second match here Friday.
The young bowling attack did well to restrict the Caribbean side to 211, but the batsmen did not click. Rohit Sharma saved the blushes for India with a gritty 99-ball 72 and the tail finished the job. He got support from Ravindra Jadeja, who made 62-ball 38. The two guided the innings after India were struggling at 59 for five.
India’s stand-in captain Virender Sehwag has asked the batsmen to score runs.
‘There is no excuse for anybody not scoring runs. We have to back our batting. We have some exciting youngsters playing for last three four years,’ he said.
He would like to believe that the Cuttack match was an aberration as India have dominated in the shorter format at home. With the likes of Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina, in the team, the batting looks in safe hands.
Sehwag himself would be eager to give the inings a good start. He was bowled by Andre Russell.
West Indies would be hoping to carry on their good form and put the pressure on the hosts after their good showing.
Roach was at his best and troubled the Indian batsmen with the extra bounce that he got from the wicket. He took three wickets, dismissing Parthiv Patel, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli which triggered the collapse.
The hosts will be bolstered by the fact that they have all the three matches at Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. Though the stadium is hosting a match after more than two years.
Teams
India: Virender Sehwag (captain), Parthiv Patel (wicket-keeper), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R.Ashwin, R.Vinay Kumar, Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane, Manoj Tiwary, Abhimanyu Mithun and Rahul Sharma.
West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Lendl Simmons, Adrian Barath, Marlon Samuels, Darren Bravo, Danza Hyatt, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wicket-keeper), Andre Russell, Kemar Roach, Anthony Martin, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Kieran Powell and Ravi Rampaul.
