India vs West Indies, 3rd ODI: Live Telecast, Live Streaming: Dhawan set to return as hosts eye whitewash

The
return
of
senior
opener
Shikhar
Dhawan
will
add
more
firepower
to
the
Indian
side
which
is
already
facing
the
problem
of
plenty.
Dhawan,
who
missed
the
first
two
games
after
testing
positive
for
COVID-19
just
before
the
start
of
the
series,
might
get
a
place
in
the
playing
XI
in
the
inconsequential
tie.

Senior
opener
Dhawan
was
among
the
four
players,
including
a
reserve
bowler,
who
had
tested
positive
for
COVID-19
just
four
days
ahead
of
the
start
of
the
ODI
leg.
The
hosts
could
be
forced
to
make
a
few
changes
to
the
playing
eleven
on
Friday
to
accommodate
the
south
paw.

In
his
absence,
the
team
management
opened
with
Ishan
Kishan
in
the
first
game
and
the
flamboyant
Rishabh
Pant
in
the
second.
After
his
side’s
44-run
win
in
the
second
game
on
Wednesday,
captain
Rohit
Sharma
made
it
clear
that
Dhawan
will
be
back
for
the
last
match
of
the
ODI
series.

“We
will
get
Shikhar
back
for
the
next
game,
and
he
needs
some
game
time.
It
is
not
always
the
results.
We
wanted
to
try
it
one
game,”
Rohit
had
said.

This
means
that
vice-captain
KL
Rahul
would
continue
to
bat
in
the
middle-order
along
with
former
skipper
Virat
Kohli,
whose
search
for
his
71st
international
hundred
continues.

The
hosts,
who
were
restricted
to
237
for
nine
in
the
second
game,
would
be
keen
to
post
a
big
score
if
they
again
bat
first.

Skipper
Rohit
failed
in
the
last
game
but
it
is
common
knowledge
that
he
can
take
on
any
attack
on
his
day,
and
so
is
the
case
with
Dhawan.

Pant
will
go
back
to
the
middle-order
alongside
Suryakumar
Yadav,
who
is
likely
to
retain
his
place
after
emerging
as
the
team’s
highest
scorer
in
the
second
match
following
a
top-order
collapse.

In
all
probability,
all-rounder
Deepak
Hooda
would
have
to
make
way
for
Dhawan
in
the
playing
XI.

All
the
middle-order
batters
—
be
it
Pant,
Suryakumar,
Kohli
or
KL
—
would
be
keen
to
get
some
more
runs
under
their
belt
and
end
the
ODI
leg
on
a
high.

It
remains
to
be
seen
whether
Shreyas
Iyer,
if
available
for
selection,
can
make
the
playing
XI
or
not.

The
Indian
bowlers
dished
out
a
clinical
show
in
the
two
preceding
matches,
dismissing
their
opponents
for
176
and
193,
respectively.

And
with
the
series
sealed,
the
Indian
team
management
can
afford
to
make
few
changes
and
give
opportunities
to
new
players.

So,
either
left-arm
orthodox
spinner
Kuldeep
Yadav,
who
is
making
a
comeback
after
recovering
from
an
injury,
or
young
leg-spinner
Ravi
Bishnoi
could
get
a
look-in.

This
means
that
either
Yuzvendra
Chahal
or
Washington
Sundar
could
be
rested
to
make
way
for
one
of
their
teammates.

Also,
Madhya
Pradesh
pacer
Avesh
Khan
has
been
waiting
in
the
wings,
and
the
team
management
might
also
give
him
a
game.

With
pacer
Prasidh
Krishna
taking
four
wickets
in
an
excellent
second
game
and
Shardul
Thakur
also
among
the
wickets,
it
is
highly
unlikely
that
the
duo
would
be
dropped.

So
if
Avesh
is
included,
probably
Mohammed
Siraj
would
have
to
make
way.

Meanwhile,
the
West
Indies,
who
have
already
conceded
the
series,
would
be
looking
to
put
up
an
improvised
show
with
the
bat
and
regain
some
lost
ground.

The
second
ODI
was
the
11th
time
in
the
last
17
games
that
the
West
Indies
have
failed
to
bat
their
quota
of
50
overs.

Their
batters,
including
skipper
Kieron
Pollard
and
senior
all-rounder
Jason
Holder,
must
put
a
prize
on
their
wickets.

Apart
from
the
duo
of
Pollard
and
Holder,
the
likes
of
Shai
Hope,
Brandon
King
and
the
swashbuckling
Nicolas
Pooran,
would
also
be
looking
to
dig
deep
and
get
some
runs
under
their
belt.

On
the
bowling
front,
West
Indies
did
well
to
restrict
India
in
the
second
ODI
and
would
want
to
continue
from
where
they
left.

Pacers
Kemar
Roach,
Alzarri
Joseph
and
Odean
Smith
hit
the
right
length,
but
the
role
of
spinners
Fabian
Allen
and
Akeal
Hosein
is
also
crucial
from
the
visitors’ point
of
view.

Match
info

Match
Day:
February
9
(Wednesday)

Match
time:
7.30
PM
IST

Live
Telecast:
Star
Sports
Networks

Live
Streaming:
Disney
+
HotStar