West Indies vs India Prediction: India can win the series if they win

West Indies will be facing off against India in the second ODI of the Indian tour of West Indies at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados. West Indies have failed to get a place in the World Cup held later this year and were defeated by 5 wickets in the first game of the series. Who will win this game?

West Indies form

West Indies' poor performance in the ODI format continues as they faced a crushing defeat at the hands of the visiting team. The pitch proved to be challenging for batting, but the home team's lack of intent and lacklustre batting ultimately cost them.

Opener Brandon King showed promise with a decent start but failed to capitalize, getting dismissed for just 17 runs. Alick Athanaze and Shimron Hetmeyer also fell cheaply. The only resistance came from skipper Shai Hope, who played a gritty knock of 43 runs.

The absence of Johnson Charles was evident, as the West Indies batting lacked depth. On the positive side, the bowlers performed better compared to the batsmen and will aim to carry the momentum forward. Gudakesh Motie, who returned to the international team after recovering from an injury, stood out as the pick of the bowlers with 2 wickets. However, defending such a low total against a strong batting side offered limited options for the bowling attack.

Now, the home team must put the loss behind them and approach the next match with a positive mindset to try and level the series. Betting on the West Indies at this point might not be a favourable option. However, considering in-play betting against them could be a strategy to make profits in this game.

West Indies Lineup

Shai Hope (c & wk), Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Alick Athanaze, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Yannic Cariah, Dominic Drakes, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie

India form

India showcased clinical performance in the 1st ODI, securing their 9th consecutive victory against West Indies. With their eyes set on claiming the series, the team aims to deliver another strong performance in the upcoming match.

Despite missing some key white ball seamers, the Indian pace attack managed to apply early pressure in the 1st inning. Shardul Thakur, Hardik Pandya, and debutant Mukesh Kumar bowled effectively with the new ball, each picking up a wicket.

However, it was the spinners who dealt a significant blow to the West Indies batting line-up. Ravindra Jadeja dismantled the middle order, while Kuldeep Yadav cleaned up the tail, impressively securing 4 wickets for just 6 runs. On the downside, India's star-studded batting lineup struggled during the meager chase, with players like Shubhman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya falling cheaply on the tricky wicket.

Nonetheless, a quick half-century by Ishan Kishan ensured that India crossed the finish line with 5 wickets to spare. Although India experimented with changes in the batting order, it is anticipated that they will revert to the original order for the next match.

India may continue to make team changes as they experiment with their lineup. Therefore, it's advisable to be cautious with pre-match individual player markets.

India Predicted Lineup

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur/Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar

Expert betting tips

As evident from the opening match, the pitch at the Kensington Oval presents challenges for the batsmen. The average first-inning score on this ground is approximately 240. Both seamers and spinners find favourable conditions with ample assistance from the pitch. Batsmen will have to exercise patience and settle down before attempting big shots. Moreover, the weather forecast indicates overcast conditions with a possibility of rain. We expect India to win the game and the series again.