West Indies A vs India A, 2019: 1st Unofficial ODI: Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Tips – Playing XI, Pitch Report & Injury Update

A day after India’s exit in the World Cup 2019, the young stars will group for India A whose tour in the Caribbean will begin with the 5-match unofficial ODI series. The Indian team will be looking to build the team for the next World Cup straight away given the performances of the middle-order at the big event. The skipper Manish Pandey and the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill will be the front-runners for these roles.

With MS Dhoni on the edge of announcing his retirement, someone like Ishan Kishan who can bat down the order will be in demand for the national team. Khaleel Ahmed will be watched closely keeping him in the plans for the future. The left-arm pacer missed out of a World Cup berth due to his inexperience. Rahul Chahar can also make a case for his selection after an average show from the wrist spinners in the World Cup.

Match Details:

The 1st game of the 5-match Unofficial ODI series between West India A and India A will be hosted by Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

The match starts at 9:30 AM local time (1:30 PM GMT) (7:00 PM IST).

The game will be streamed live on Sony Liv in India and on the YouTube and Windes Cricket website outside India.

Pitch Condition/Report:

The pitch at the Coolidge Cricket Ground usually tends to get slow as the game progresses. In the last five List A fixtures at this venue, the average score reads 243. The teams that posted in excess of 250 ended up defending the total on three instances while the chasing team came out on the top when the target was less than 250. The short boundaries could make a difference if the bowlers take an attacking approach to get wickets.

Average first innings score: 243 (Last 5 List A matches)

Record of chasing teams: Won – 2, Lost – 3

Probable Playing XIs:

West Indies A:

Sunil Ambris, John Campbell, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase (C), Raymon Reifer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Shane Dowrich (wk), Rahkeem Cornwall, Keemo Paul, Akeem Jordan.

Bench – Kjorn Ottley, Khary Pierre, Romario Shepherd, Devon Thomas.

India A:

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey (C), Hanuma Vihari, Ishan Kishan (WK), Krunal Pandya, Axar Patel/Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, K Khaleel Ahmed.

Bench – Navdeep Saini, Avesh Khan, Anmolpreet Singh, Axar Patel/Washington Sundar

Team News:

(Will be added when there is an update)

Power Picks:

Manish Pandey can well be called as the Don Bradman of unofficial ODIs considering his record for the India A and B during the ‘A’ team series over the last three years. Pandey scored 942 runs at a sensational average of 188.4 in his last 14 List A innings in ‘A’ team series/tournaments. Manish hit three hundreds and six fifties in those 14 innings and has been dismissed under 50 only twice and only one score of less than 20. India A skipper will be once again gearing up for a big series with the bat.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Manish Pandey’s record in unofficial ODIs while Ruturaj Gaikwad’s success in List A cricket and also in the recent series against Sri Lanka A will make the duo the prime choices as multipliers. Rahkeem Cornwall is someone who can add value with both bat and ball. The likes of Krunal Pandya and John Campbell could be seen making a case for returning to the national side with impactful performances.

Other Captain/Vice-Captain Options – Sunil Ambris, Shubman Gill, Roston Chase Shreyas Iyer, Keemo Paul, Hanuma Vihari, Rovman Powell, Rahul Chahar.

Suggested Playing XI No.1 for Fantasy Cricket:

Keeper – Shane Dowrich

Batsmen – Shubman Gill, Sunil Ambris, John Campbell, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Manish Pandey (C)

All-Rounders – Rahkeem Cornwall (VC), Krunal Pandya

Bowlers – K Khaleel Ahmed, Rahul Chahar, Keemo Paul

Suggested Playing XI No.2 for Fantasy Cricket:

Keeper – Ishan Kishan

Batsmen – Manish Pandey, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Ambris (VC), Shubman Gill (C)

All-Rounders – Rahkeem Cornwall, Rovman Powell, Krunal Pandya

Bowlers – Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Keemo Paul

Expert Advice:

India A will find themselves in a conundrum while selecting the playing XI for the first game. Navdeep Saini was seen in England with the World Cup squad until a couple of days ago. He might be expected to play from the 4th game. Avesh Khan and Anmolpreet Singh are less likely to feature given the presence of more experienced players. One of Axar Patel and Washington Sundar is another decision the Indian team has to make.

Probable Winners:

The experienced players in India A will help their tour of the Caribbean to start off with a victory.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.