When was the last time India lost an ODI series against West Indies?
Team India and West Indies recently played their 100th Test match against each other, highlighting their illustrious red-ball past. Similarly, the two nations also have an equally dominant rivalry in white-ball cricket, albeit a bit lopsided in the recent past considering the grand scheme of things.
India and West Indies will be involved in a three-match ODI series ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup. With the Men in Blue heading into the tournament as one of the favorites, and West Indies failing to qualify, the gap between the two sides is at an all-time high.
West Indies, the two-time ODI World Cup winners, have only won one 50-over match against India across the last 11 meetings. With their last win coming in 2019, they are currently on an eight-match losing streak against the Men in Blue in ODIs.
During their most recent set of meetings, West Indies suffered a 3-0 whitewash in 2022 at home despite stretching the visitors in two of the matches. The Shai Hope-led side are on a quest to find themselves in the format while the upcoming series is an avenue to fine-tune for India.
Situations of both sides were not poles apart in the past as West Indies have won 63 out of 139 ODIs against India (two tied and four no results). The Caribbean side last stitched together a series win over India back in 2006 at home with a 4-1 result.
India's tour of West Indies 2006
The Men in Blue toured the Caribbean for a total of four Tests and five ODIs in 2006. The visitors made history by winning the red-ball series 1-0, courtesy of a famous win at Kingston, Jamaica, but only after they suffered humiliation in the ODI series.
India made a winning start to the series by chasing down 252 in the first ODI. Rahul Dravid led from the front with a century to secure the team's 17th consecutive win while chasing.
The visitors were favorites to record their 18th consecutive run chase after restricting the West Indies to just 198-9 in 50 overs in the second match. But the hosts did not give up and gave India a tough time in the second innings.
Yuvraj Singh played a fighting knock of 93 off 121 deliveries, but he was dismissed in the last over with India only a couple of runs away from the target.
The momentum shifted towards the hosts after the nail-biting win in the second ODI. They won the crucial third ODI by four wickets in yet another thrilling contest to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match affair.
India had posted a target of 246 after Virender Sehwag scored a quickfire 97 off 83 deliveries. The visitors were comfortably placed at 210-3 in the 38th over, but they suffered a collapse of epic proportions in the final phase of the innings.
In response. Ramnaresh Sarwan scored an unbeaten hundred to guide West Indies to victory with one ball to spare.
The Men in Maroon wrapped up the series in the fourth ODI at the Port of Spain in Trinidad with their third consecutive win. India, after being put into bat, could only post 217-7, that too after a mammoth effort by the middle-order. West Indies, however, coasted to victory by chasing down the total with six wickets and six overs to spare.
The Brian Lara-led side sealed their authority by finishing the series off in style. They recorded a narrow 19-run win to seal the affairs by a dominant 4-1 margin. The hosts, courtesy of Dwayne Bravo's heroics in the form of an unbeaten 62 runs off 44 deliveries, posted 255-6 in the first innings.
Virender Sehwag played a lone hand for India with 95 runs off 103 deliveries in the run chase. The lower order stepped up with a fight as well, but the target proved to be too steep as they were bowled out with two overs to spare.
Will the Caribbean side end their streak of ODI series losses against India in 2023? Let us know what you think.