Vadodara: Team India haven't won a One-Day series since March 2006.
In Vadodara on Wednesday, they have a chance to end the miserable ODI run but after reducing the deficit in Chennai to 2-1, the West Indies are all set to leave the Indian shores with their heads held high.
Irfan Pathan has been called back into the playing XI while Suresh Raina, who was seen taking some batting tips from chief selector and former India player Dilip Vengsarkar, along with S Sreesanth, Ramesh Powar and Gautam Gambhir will sit out in Vadodara.
Robin Uthappa's blazing innings in the Chennai One-Dayer has meant he will walk out with Sourav Ganguly to open the Indian innings.
"Robin came in and got a knock so he deserves another go. There is no hard and fast rule. If we pick Raina then you would say why we didn't pick someone else," Indian skipper Rahul Dravid said.
India have always enjoyed playing at Vadodara, having won four of their five matches in the IPCL Stadium.
But the current series against the West Indies has been about a bigger objective and that is to get the team sorted for the World Cup.
"We are going to try and take the kind of squad to the World Cup that gives us the option to play five bowlers or four bowlers, or two spinner and two fast bowlers. Give us an option to play three and one or play an extra batsman. We can also have the kind of players who would be a little flexible and play down the order. We can have impact players at the top of the order," Dravid said.
The loss at Chennai after wins in Nagpur and Cuttack has meant the opposition has found renewed confidence.
And the West Indies skipper has said that it is an important stepping-stone towards the World Cup goal.
"Even though the series currently is not in our favour, I think the exercise of getting out there and guys getting a hit and to bowl and some getting a chance to present their case for selection for the World Cup is good. It is definitely of utmost importance to us," the West Indies skipper Brian Lara said.
Despite their loss in Chennai, the Indian team is confident of winning the series and they have local boy Irfan Pathan in the playing XI.
On the other hand the West Indies are confident that the spirit shown by their team will help them draw the series and keep the winning record in their favour.
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Total Comments: 4
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Posted By Prabhu
if INDIA neeeds to win , players like raina should be left out of the squad as critics might be
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Posted By ankur
What is Raina doing in the team.....give some one else a chance...drop him ....he got enough chances to prove himself...he
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Posted By srinath
Agarkar has always been a useless bowler and he never strikes when required. If India has to win they have
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Posted By Ratan K.Datta
Watch - what is being said, Robin Uthappa deserves another go,so Sourav and Robin will open.As long as Sourav is
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