Five strategical tweaks India should make in the 2nd ODI against the Windies
India defeated the Windies convincingly in the 1st ODI at the Assam Cricket Association Barsapara Stadium. They have only 17 games before the 2019 One-Day International Cricket World Cup. Though the Men In Blue are playing exceptional cricket in the past two years, they are not perfect in all the departments. Dhoni's batting, the all-rounder conundrum, the middle-order instability, have exposed Indian frailties in the grand stage.
Indians have a good chance to try a few combinations in the ongoing bilateral tournament. At the same time, they cannot make wholesome changes which may affect their positive momentum.
The following are the five strategical tweaks India should make in the 2nd ODI against West Indies
#1 Rishabh Pant as Wicketkeeper
If India have plans to take Rishabh Pant as a deputy to Dhoni for the next year World Cup, they should seriously consider giving him some international experience behind the stumps. Though the 21-year-old left-handed batsman has become a rock-star with his explosive batting, he was sub-standard with his wicket-keeping skills.
Pant has conceded 97 byes in only four Tests. As Deep Dasgupta rightly pointed out, "Pant is not a finished product". Without proper keeping practice in ODIs, he may struggle to keep wickets against 30 overs of spin bowling.
India will have nine round-robin games in the World Cup which can take a huge toll on the 37-year old M.S.Dhoni. Pant cannot afford to make many mistakes behind the stumps during Dhoni's absence. Dhoni also may get back his prime batting form if he focuses only on batting for a while. It will be a win-win situation for both Dhoni and Pant.
Considering India cannot do many experiments against Australia, it is high time for Pant to take care of wicket-keeping in the next ODI. It will also help the selectors to understand Pant's progress as a wicket-keeper.