Amidst the storm that Indian cricket is embroiled in, (for the uninitiated, read about the whole Kumble-Kohli saga) comes a series far away from the sub-continent. The Indian tour of West Indies might not be one that captures the imagination of the biggest fans here, but it is one that you need to watch for plenty of other reasons. Read on:
This team is actually in good form:
Yes, the Indian team lost the game against Pakistan in the Final but let’s not forget the form that took them there. Up until the final, the batting was top-notch and really entertaining to watch. The Blues will look to carry that into the West Indies tour and if you’re someone who loves watching the team play in full flow, then the West Indies tour is the perfect setting.
Expect a lot of fireworks in all departments thanks to the power-hitters present in the squad. Also, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in the form of his life, so we could be in for a treat.
The beginning of Rishabh Pant:
He was one player who took the cricketing world by storm during the IPL. Rishabh Pant is also widely seen as the heir to MS Dhoni once he retires and in his first full series, Pant will look to shine. The teenage sensation is more than capable of hitting the ball out of the park and playing a responsible innings in equal measure.
Rishabh Pant will look to grab this golden opportunity to shine and rub shoulders with the best in the country.
Probably the last time we see Yuvraj Singh in West Indies:
This may or may not be confirmed, but Yuvraj Singh isn’t the force he once was and everyone, including him, are aware of it. Yuvraj will be desperate to make the most of all the games he features in and he deserves to go out on a high.
Yuvi has been an all-time favourite of Indian fans and everybody will be rooting for him to play his natural game and enjoy himself. One of the great servants of Indian cricket, he still possesses the ability to play the special innings and let’s hope a fully-equipped Yuvraj features.
Hardik Pandya’s rise to another chapter:
Till the final against Pakistan, there were still a few doubters of Hardik Pandya’s ability and inclusion in the team. A huge chunk of fans felt that India were better equipped with Dinesh Karthik as a pure batsman in place of Pandya. However, in the final, Pandya bowled economically while the other bowlers were punished and blasted a 43 ball 76 to give India the slightest sniff of coming back.
Though he failed, Pandya was lauded by everybody for not being overawed by the big occasion and playing his natural game. Pandya’s batting prowess has begun yielding results and it will be great to see a Pandya in full flow in West Indies.
Virat Kohli has a point to prove:
Nobody has ever doubted Virat Kohli’s ability as a batsman in the team. His captaincy might have come under scrutiny in the final and Kohli, of all people, must be secretly waiting for this opportunity to prove everyone wrong.
After the whole Kumble fiasco, Kohli is probably the most infamous man in cricket now but he is someone who relishes any opportunity while the chips are down. West Indies must be dreading bowling to him also considering the form he was in at the Champions Trophy.
No coach, no problem:
The West Indies tour comes against the dark backdrop of Kumble opting to stay out despite having his tickets booked. The Indian team is at a crossroads currently and will look at this series as the beginning of a new era. The players might be feeling down post the disappointment of the Champions Trophy and will look to bounce back.
This is probably the first time that the Indian team is playing without a coach in the West Indies and India will be looking to produce a back against the wall performance even if it is against a depleted West Indian squad.
Perfect preparation for the big Sri Lanka tour:
The series is perfect for preparing against the Sri Lankan series after. Though West Indies are a team that is heavily depleted of their best players, India will look to get back to the ruthless form that they displayed throughout the last year and a half.
The Indian team has a very busy schedule ahead and will also look to exact some revenge against the Lankans and will look to go all guns blazing. Good times are forecast ahead despite the cloud of uncertainty that the team is mired in at the moment.
