West Indies and India battle for survival
Both sides got mauled in their first Super Eights match, one of them is likely to be out by the time they are through with each other
Match Facts
Sunday, May 9, BridgetownStart time 0930 (1330 GMT)
The Big Picture
One of these teams brings most of the TV revenue. One of them is bringing in the crowds at the actual venues. Both of them got mauled in their first Super Eights match: India by 49 runs, only to be outdone by West Indies, who fell 57 runs short. One of them will be out by the time they are through with each other. Barring, of course, complex and improbable permutations, which are made more complex and improbable thanks to the huge margins of defeats and consequently poor net run-rates.Form guide (most recent first)
India LWWWLWest Indies LWWLL
Watch out for...
MS Dhoni doesn't make too many excuses. He knows he is leading a tired side, and he says so. He knows he is leading a side not equipped to attack short-pitched bowling on a quick track. There is not enough time in Twenty20s to wear an attack down by ducking and swaying, and pulling and hooking is not India's strongest suit. And Dhoni says so. He knows those facts can't be changed overnight, and that a way has to be found around them. And when an unconventional route has to be found, Dhoni usually leads the way.Team news
Rohit Sharma, with his lone hand of 79 against Australia, should have assured himself a place. Ravindra Jadeja, on the other hand, went for 38 runs in two overs, missed a catch, and ran himself out by running away from the stumps. Jadeja, when used in the middle overs, has been a valuable left-arm spinner for Dhoni, and it will be interesting to see what effect one horrible day has on his place. India, anyway, played one batsman too many against Australia, so either of the spinning "allrounders", Yusuf Pathan or Jadeja, could be left out to bring in a specialist bowler. The choice of that specialist bowler should be interesting too: by not picking him on a bouncy track, Dhoni has shown a bit of a lack of confidence in R Vinay Kumar, so Piyush Chawla could be in the fray too. Injured Praveen Kumar's replacement Umesh Yadav isn't likely to reach there in time for this game.Pitch and conditions
This is the final day of the Super Eight stage in Barbados before the tournament heads back to St Lucia. There has been good pace, true bounce, and not much sideways movement in the surface. In other words, it has been a pitch that not many will complain about. Another warm day is predicted.Stats and trivia
- Against Australia, when Harbhajan Singh became the second man in the Indian line-up to reach double figures, they escaped equalling the dubious record of 10 batsmen failing to reach a score of 10 in an innings. India hold the current record, jointly with Bermuda, West Indies and Ireland.
Quotes
"If somebody bowls 150kph short stuff then you have to be really good at pulling which isn't our natural strength. Most players from India are very good at cutting the ball, but only a few are good pullers against the new ball."MS Dhoni, India's captain, is not hiding behind excuses
Chris Gayle, West Indies' captain, has not lost hope
Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo