India look to plug the leaks
Handed a reality check after West Indies salvaged a morale-boosting tie in the second game, India will be hoping to put up an improved bowling show with their frontline pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah back in action for the third ODI here on Saturday.
A well-oiled India hammered the Windies in the opener in Guwahati by eight wickets, but the gritty visitors made a statement in Visakhapatnam, denying the hosts a victory and a chance to go 2-0 ahead in the five-match rubber.
However, the absences of Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah saw the Indian bowling unit being clobbered for 320-plus runs in both games.
With more variations in their repertoire in white ball cricket compared to the profilgate Umesh Yadav and an inconsistent Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah are expected to make a significant difference, especially in the first Powerplay and the death overs.
Skipper Virat Kohli, who surpassed iconic Sachin Tendulkar to score fastest 10,000 runs, has always been the backbone of the team. His back to back hundreds (140 and 157 not out) is just a testimony to it. The skipper, who has scored 297 runs so far in the series, will be aiming for a big knock again.
But questions remain on a stable numbers 5, 6 and 7.
For the visitors, their biggest asset is young Shimron Hetmyer, who scored a scintillating 94 in the last game after an attractive 106 in the opening encounter.
The 21-year-old southpaw would be raring to go at the Indian bowlers once again. Wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope with his hundred in Visakhapatnam has proved that there is more to his game than the attractive 30's.
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