Team India achieved an unwanted feat, which teams like Scotland, the Netherlands and Zimbabwe didn't - lose to West Indies in ODI cricket. The complacency crept in and the Men in Blue rested two of their stars, skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the second ODI against the West Indies after taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and the result - a middle-order collapse and a humiliating defeat in Barbados on Saturday, July 29.
Team India's habit of rotation and experimentation was handed a body blow and a reality check, which might have been a reminder for the visitors to not take things easy ever again. The Indian team might still win the series in the next match when Kohli and Rohit both return, they will have to now, but more questions have already been raised than the answers they were hoping to seek from three matches.
Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill stitched a 90-run opening stand after being put in to bat but after that, it was a car crash for the Indian team. Not a single batter played a meaningful innings after that. A couple of batters did get starts but on a difficult surface and owing to some poor shot selection, they just kept losing wickets, eventually to fold for 181. Kishan was the highest scorer with 55 runs.
Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd shared three wickets apiece while pacer Alzarri Joseph took two wickets as they broke the backbone of the Indian middle-order. In reply, the West Indies got off to a rollicking start with Kyle Mayers taking the lead role. West Indies got to 50 in no time before the golden arm of Shardul Thakur led India's fightback.
Shardul got a couple of quick wickets before getting a third. Kuldeep Yadav, who was in the middle of a brilliant spell supported Shardul with the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer but on a difficult surface, skipper Shai Hope decided to grind out and play the ball on its merit as he took West Indies to a magnificent victory by 6 wickets with an unbeaten half-century. Keacy Carty supported him ably well with a fantastic knock of 48* as the hosts levelled the series 1-1.
India have a lot to ponder upon ahead of the series decider and will hope to end put rest to some of many questions raise in the first two games.
