Team India still suffering from WT20 hangover

To be candid, I am not surprised at the route in which the India-West Indies ODI series has traversed so far. I had said in my preview that it loomed as a contest between two equally matched sides with limitations who would probably ending up sharing honours. At the end of the halfway mark it is obvious that not much separates the two contestants and the limitations have been laid bare.

That said, I must admit, I certainly didn't expect the Indians to collapse so dramatically in the second ODI. As candid as ever, MS Dhoni has said that the Indian batsmen erred in reading the surface. Though the venue was the same the pitch was very different from the one that the teams played in the first ODI. It was quicker and bouncier with the ball moving around but the Indians still went for their strokes as if they were playing on the same amiable wicket on which they got 339 two days before. "We should have paid a little more respect to the bowlers," said Dhoni ruefully and he could not have been more right.

The manner in which the top order batsmen got out it appeared they were still suffering a hangover from the Twenty20 World Cup. The cynics used to blame excessive one day cricket for mistakes in Test cricket; now it appears they will blame excessive Twenty20 cricket for errors in Fifty50. The ball was clearly doing something and what was required was a little circumspection. Dhoni led by example but his ninth wicket century partnership was too little too late. A total of 188 was never really going to bother the West Indians – no matter what fond memories a total of 183 at Lord's 26 years ago may hold for old timers - and the home team cruised home with some 16 overs and eight wickets to spare.

This victory will certainly give the West Indies confidence in the remaining two matches and Chris Gayle has hit the right button by saying that he sees shades of Brian Lara in Darren Bravo, who made his ODI debut in the first match of the current series. It may put needless pressure on the youngster, the brother of Dwayne Bravo, but it could also boost his confidence and if he is as level-headed as he is talented then it should spur him on to performing great deeds.

Whatever limitations they may have in their bowling on pitches that are less helpful the West Indies are a top-notch batting side. They proved this while almost accomplishing a target of 340 in the first ODI falling just 20 runs short. And in the second they simply brooked no opposition in racing to victory in an emphatic manner. The quintet of Gayle, Morton, Sarwan, Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo at the top of the order is quite a formidable line-up. It is also clear that on pitches that are bouncier and faster the West Indies have the edge in the bowling.

There is very little to choose between the batting even though the Indians would do well not to rely over much on the brilliance of Yuvraj Singh. Indeed, despite being on level terms so far there are questions for the Indian team management. Ravindra Jadeja is a weak link and has to go.

Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma are struggling and it is best for RP Singh and Ashish Nehra to shoulder the pace bowling. Two spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha should be fielded which may not be a bad idea given the traditional West Indian weakness against the turning ball.

I am not able to fathom why Ojha has not been part of the playing squad so far given his excellent record in the just - concluded Twenty20 World Cup. He is an immensely gifted youngster who must be encouraged. Yusuf Pathan and Abhishek Nayar should be the utility players.

The double failures of Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma will be of some concern but I venture to predict that their class,  skill and experience should see them among the runs before the series is over.