IND vs WI ODIs review: Men in Blue’s bowling remains a red mark even as batters extend purple patch

With just about a year to go for the 2027 ODI World Cup, India’s preparation for the quadrennial event got off on the right note as it posted a 2-1 series win over the West Indies.

There were, however, some warning signs that the team will want to address soon.

The big positive was the batting. The top-order set up the series victory, led by skipper Shubman Gill, who scored two centuries, including a double-hundred.

More importantly, Rohit Sharma (225 runs) and Virat Kohli (168) were on song. Since this is the only format they play, it is imperative the senior duo maximises every opportunity.

K.L. Rahul got only one chance and proved why he is so vital to the team, scoring an unbeaten 129, even if it went in vain.

However, bowling remains a concern. Granted, the pitches at all three venues had very little for the bowlers. Still, the attack is hardly settled.

Apart from Kuldeep Yadav in the first match, none of the others looked like they could keep the batters honest or provide timely breakthroughs.

The other fast bowlers not being able to take up responsibility showed how the Men in Blue are over-reliant on Bumrah, who was away on Asian Games duty.

The management handed out debuts to Auqib Nabi and Anshul Kamboj, both of whom proved expensive while Mohammed Siraj’s recent struggle continued in the only match he played. Captain Gill admitted as much, saying he would have wanted to see more out of his speedsters.

“Bowling in the PowerPlay and in the death has been hurting us. If you don’t get off to a good start in the PowerPlay, it’s not easy to take wickets in the middle overs as we have seen,” said Gill.

“It’s not easy to create chances with only four fielders outside. The intensity of the game, and how it goes, becomes completely different if you don’t keep taking wickets in either the PowerPlay or the middle overs,” he added.

Going forward, the think-tank needs to quickly identify the right combination for the World Cup and give them enough games to get into a groove, something Gill stressed he wants to do from the next series.