'India should try out a few more combinations' - Abhinav Mukund suggests playing XI changes ahead of 2nd ODI vs West Indies

India defeated West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI on September 27, 2026, chasing down a target of 296 in 41.4 overs. Virat Kohli scored 139 not out to reach 15,000 ODI runs, joining Sachin Tendulkar as only the second batter to achieve the milestone. Kuldeep Yadav took 4 for 40 in 10 overs as West Indies posted 295 in their 50 overs. Skipper Shubman Gill also scored a majestic century.

In the first ODI, India played with two frontline pacers - Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna - one fast-bowling all-rounder -  Nitish Kumar Reddy and one spin-bowling all-rounder - Ravindra Jadeja and one specialist spinner - Kuldeep Yadav. Mohammed Siraj did not feature in the first match. Former India opener Abhinav Mukund, who played seven Test matches for the country, has now suggested a different approach for the second ODI scheduled for September 30, 2026.

"India should try out a few more combinations. They should try and see if they can play with six batters and five specialist bowlers. They should see if that is a possibility and tinker around their combination a little bit. Maybe play Siraj in the next game and give another bowler a break," Mukund said on his Instagram handle.

Mukund's case for five specialist bowlers

Mukund's recommendation reflects the importance of squad experimentation with the 2027 ODI World Cup exactly one year away. The suggestion to include Siraj and restructure the bowling attack comes at a critical juncture in India's preparation cycle. Testing different setups during the ongoing West Indies tour provides the team with valuable data before the World Cup cycle intensifies further.

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The second ODI, which will be played in Guwahati on Wednesday, will offer India an opportunity to assess alternative combinations and evaluate how a five-specialist-bowler setup functions against quality opposition. With the tour comprising three ODI and five T20I matches, the remaining games will also serve as a platform for further experimentation and refinement of the squad's approach.