No Ishan Kishan, No 'KulCha' Combo: Ex-India Star Opener Predicts India XI For 1st ODI Against West Indies

After winning the Test series against West Indies, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team gets down to action in the first of the three ODIs from Thursday. The ODI squad bears a distinct look with the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya coming in. With the World Cup in a few months' time, the ODI series against the West Indies is part of that preparatory process. Ahead of the first ODI, former India opener Wasim Jaffer gave his take on what the pplaying XI for India. 

While he went with Sanju Samson as the wicketkeeper, while going for Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav as the spinners. He left out leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. 

"My India XI for the first ODI: 1. Rohit 2. Gill 3. Kohli 4. Sanju (wk) 5. Hardik  6. SKY 7. Jadeja 8. Axar 9. Kuldeep 10. Siraj 11. Umran," Wasim Jaffer tweeted. 

My India XI for the first ODI:

1. Rohit
2. Gill
3. Kohli
4. Sanju (wk)
5. Hardik
6. SKY
7. Jadeja
8. Axar
9. Kuldeep
10. Siraj
11. Umran

What's yours? #WIvIND

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) July 26, 2023

Meanwhile, Indian cricket's current two spearheads Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will look to achieve thier personal milestone in the first ODI match against West Indies. 
Virat is just 102 runs away from completing 13,000 runs in the one-day format. He is the fourth-highest run-getter in ODI cricket history following legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara and Ricky Ponting. 

The Indian run machine has featured in 274 matches and has scored 12898 runs with an average of 57.32. He has bagged 46 hundred and 65 fifties so far. 

While Rohit has an eye to come closer to completing his 10,000 runs in limited-over cricket as he has 9,825 runs currently. He will join the elite club by becoming the sixth Indian player to score 10,000 runs in ODIs. 

Rohit has an average of 48.63 in the one-day format. He has struck 30 centuries and 48 half-centuries in 243 ODI matches. 

With PTI inputs

Topics mentioned in this article

Wasim Jaffer Yuzvendra Chahal Kuldeep Yadav Rohit Sharma Ishan Kishan Sanju Samson India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team West Indies vs India, 2023 Cricket