Hours before the final ODI encounter between India and Wear Indies, former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo took a jibe at his team-mate after sharing a missing poster via his Instagram handle.

Pollard could play only one game in which he got dismissed by a googly via Yuzavendra Chahal. Since then he’s out and missing due to a niggle problem.

Many players such as, Sammy, Fidel Edwards and format Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh commented on the post. The post has gone viral on the internet and is being joked about a lot.

Inclusion of Kieron Pollard in the final ODI is still doubtful. The 3rd ODI will be played at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.

India has already wrapped up the series after winning first 2 ODI’s in a convincing fashion.

West Indies have a lot to play the game is not just about pride and honor. They are more focused on attaining valuable points for the ICC Super League. They’re currently placed 9th on the points table with 50 points in 3 matches.

Rohit and Co. know that they have to evaluate the players based on how they react to different situations. In the second game, the home side decided to experiment by opening the batting with Rishabh Pant in an attempt to take advantage of the first PowerPlay. Even though the move seems to be a one-off, it gives an indicator that the think-tank is looking to experiment in order to zoom in on the right combination.

The hosts certainly have enough positives to take from the series. Mohammed Siraj bowled with nous and discipline in the first match while Prasidh Krishna has displayed a few more gears to his bowling, bagging a four-for. KL Rahul, who returned for the second game, batted in the middle order and looked in fine touch while facing the West Indies pace trio. His ability to change gears against hit-the-deck bowlers as well as spinners makes him an ideal candidate to bat in the middle order. Suryakumar Yadav too has made use of his opportunities so far. If anything, Virat Kohli would like to convert some of his starts into a hundred. Rohit also would hope to make a substantial contribution.

At the other end, the West Indies camp would be ruing a missed opportunity to level the series. Kemar Roach, Odean Smith and Alzarri Joseph had bowled zestful spells to lay the platform for the batters to provide finishing touches. Unfortunately, once again a familiar knot tied them down and that was the top order failing to click. Even though Shamarh Brooks and Akeal Hosein made useful contributions, the duo had too much to do. The West Indies need a batting renaissance and it has to happen soon.

The one silver lining for the visitors was Smith shining brightly. With a relatively short run-up, he can generate a good burst of pace. It can take time for a batter’s muscle memory to adjust to a bowler who bowls at speeds in excess of 140 kph with a short run-up. Smith also showcased glimpses of his hitting prowess lower down the order. In fact, in the recently-concluded ODI series versus Ireland, one of his massive hits had dented the car of West Indies fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell.

A victory in the final game of the series would revitalize the West Indies camp ahead of the T20Is. There are also 10 World Cup Super League points up for grabs.

When: Friday, February 11, 2022, 1.30 PM local time

Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

What to expect:

The weather forecast predicts clear skies and no chance of rain. For the second game, the red soil pitch – with some grass cover – was used. So the seamers were able to extract more life out of the surface. Once again the nature of the soil could determine the conditions for the final game. The dew played a role in the first ODI but didn’t come into the picture during the second game.

Team News:

India: Shikhar Dhawan, who has recovered from Covid-19, is set to return to the playing XI. Shreyas Iyer, who has also taken part in training sessions, is in the mix. India may also look to rotate the spinners with Kuldeep Yadav getting an opportunity in the final match.

Possible XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur/Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal/Kuldeep Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna.

West Indies: Regular skipper Kieron Pollard didn’t play the second match with a niggle. The tourists may opt to rest Pollard for the last game and give Odean Smith another chance to showcase his talents.

Possible XI: Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (c), Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Fabien Allen, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, and Kemar Roach

What they said:

“I have been asked to try different things, so that was something different (on Pant opening). We wanted to try it one game and is not a permanent thing. Shikhar should be back for the next game,” Rohit Sharma in the post-match presentation.

ICYMI team India beat West Indies by 6wickets in the first ODI to go one up in the 3 matches ODI series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Chahal was the star performer for India as he took 4 wickets for 49 runs with an economy of just under 5 runs per over.

After being ghosted since T20 World Cup was held in Dubai last October, Chahal made a bold statement with his stellar performance in the first game. His list of victims includes the likes of Brooks, Pooran, pollard, and Alzarri Joseph.

The tricky Ahmedabad pitch came in handy for the Indian spinner as he took his 100^th international wicket by sending off Pollard back to the pavilion with a googly.

India is set to play the 2^nd ODI on 9^th Feb 2022 and Chahal will definitely look to make a mark for himself once again. On the other hand, Pollard and his men in Maroon will be looking to level the series and try to stay alive in what is a do-or-die game.