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Team India surprised one and all with a few too many changes in the playing XI, including a new captain for the second ODI against the West Indies at Barbados’ Kensington Oval on Saturday, July 29. After the Men in Blue huffed and puffed their way to a 115-run target in the series opener with an attempt to give an opportunity to everyone in the side, the visitors rested the likes of regular skipper Rohit Sharma and his predecessor Virat Kohli considering their opponent to be too weak.
It’s kind of surprising that both Rohit and Kohli chose to sit out when this is the only ODI assignment for India before the Asia Cup next month. Rohit came to bat at No. 7 in the series opener and Kohli didn’t even bat before they chose to sit out altogether in the next one. The visitors may still win and seal the series on Saturday, however, resting their two players in a World Cup year was a questionable call. The effect of which was visible when India went from 90/0 to 113/5 in not many overs.
This is the first time since October 2022 that both Kohli and Rohit are not playing an ODI together for India. Veteran India opener Shikhar Dhawan was the captain for the three-match series against South Africa when the first-choice team had left early to prepare for the T20 World Cup in Australia.
The series stood at 1-1 coming into the final ODI but it was Kuldeep Yadav’s night in the national capital, Delhi as he ran through the South African line-up on a helpful surface. Kuldeep took 4/18 and was ably supported by Washington Sundar and Mohammed Siraj as South Africa were folded for 99.
India did lose three wickets but Shubman Gill with a 49-run knock saw his team through as the hosts sealed the series with a 7-wicket win.
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