WI vs IND: Avesh Khan makes his ODI debut as West Indies opt to bat
Shikhar Dhawan handed Avesh Khan his ODI cap on Sunday during India's second ODI against West Indies.
Avesh replaced Prasidh Krishna in India's XI for the second ODI at Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad. India are 1-0 up in the three-match ODI series after their close three-run victory in the opening game earlier this week.
West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran won the toss and opted to bat.
"I feel it's a good wicket. It gets slower and offers some turn. After the last game's experience, we wanted to bat first again. We gave few runs in the field, we need to work on that. We are well prepared and looking forward to a good game. Siraj and Prasidh bowled well, I am sure we are going to do much better today. Prasidh Krishna is out and Avesh Khan comes in - he is making his ODI debut today," said Dhawan at the toss.
Avesh became India's 244th ODI player. Deepak Hooda was India's last debutant in the format. The all-rounder played his maiden ODI earlier this year, coincidentally against West Indies at home.
Windies' vice-captain Shai Hope is set to play his 100th ODI. After 99 ODIs, Hope is only among three West Indian batsmen to have scored 4,000 or more runs: Viv Richards (4,122 runs), and Gordon Greenidge (4,075 runs). Hope has 4,078 runs in 99 ODIs at an average of 49.13, including 12 centuries and 20 fifties.
In comparison, Richards had scored eight tons in 99 ODIs but had scored the runs at a superior run rate of close to 90. Hope's current strike rate is less than 75 in the ODIs.
In West Indies' list of most hundreds in the 50-over format, Hope currently stands fourth with 12 centuries, behind Chris Gayle (25), Brian Lara (19), and Desmond Haynes (17).
"I am going to bat first, it's the same wicket. Anything over 250 will be challenging here. We need to build partnerships, we need to show up again and do the same thing again. One forced change, Motie is out - Hayden Walsh is in. If he (Hope) scores it's fine, if he doesn't not a problem, the other batters can chip in," WI skipper Pooran said at the toss.
West Indies vs India, 2nd ODI: Playing XI
India XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan
West Indies XI: Shai Hope (wk), Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran (c), Rovman Powell, Akeal Hosein, Romario Shepherd, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales, Hayden Walsh