In a surprising turn of events, the Indian middle-order suffered a massive collapse during the second ODI against the West Indies, leading to the series being leveled. Team India, who emerged victorious in the first ODI with a five-wicket win, seemingly took the second match too lightly by resting two of their key players, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
The absence of these star batsmen proved to be detrimental for the Indian team as the inexperienced batting lineup found it challenging to navigate the spin-friendly track. After being put into bat, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan initially impressed with a solid 90-run opening partnership. However, once the first wicket fell, the rest of the middle-order crumbled under the pressure, resulting in a mere 91 runs for the loss of 10 wickets. There was little to write home about in terms of India’s batting performance, with Kishan’s half-century being the only standout contribution.
The West Indies’ paceman Alzarri Joseph made the most of the favorable conditions, grabbing five crucial wickets and adding to India’s woes. Yannic Cariah and Joseph’s change of pace proved to be too much for the middle-order batsmen to handle, as they failed to take responsibility in the absence of Kohli and Sharma. Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer humorously referred to the situation, quoting the film Pathaan, where Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan said to each other, It’s a national matter. We only will have to do the job, can’t leave it to the youngsters.
Despite the Indians’ struggles, Shardul Thakur’s three strikes and Kuldeep Yadav’s dismissal of Shimron Hetmyer briefly kept the visitors in the game. However, West Indies’ captain Shai Hope ensured his team’s victory, leading them to tie the series 1-1 heading into the final match.
This unexpected turn of events highlights the significance of Kohli and Sharma in the Indian batting lineup. Their absence was sorely felt, and it became evident that the younger players were not yet ready to bear the burden of responsibility. As India prepares for the crucial final match, it remains to be seen if they can reclaim their winning form and secure the series.
In conclusion, Team India’s middle-order collapse in the second ODI against the West Indies has left fans disappointed and raised questions about the team’s overall strength without Kohli and Sharma. The inexperienced batting lineup struggled, failing to cope with the spinning track and allowing the West Indies to level the series. As the two teams face off in the final match, all eyes will be on India’s senior players and their ability to guide the team to victory.
