India vs. Zimbabwe 2nd ODI: Five players to watch out for

India’s convincing victory in the first match against Zimbabwe underlined the difference of quality that exists between the two teams but there were many areas where both the teams could improve.

Moreover, the series remains important for India as they are trying to give an opportunity to as many new talents as possible. Jaidev Unadkat and Ambati Rayudu were impressive on debut and are likely to retain their places whereas Amit Mishra proved his worth once against with a valuable spell of quality leg-spin bowling.

The batting department had a few more issues as Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina failed to make a mark.

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, were solid with the bat as the opening pair of Sikandar Raza and Vusi Sibanda managed to survive a sharp spell of swing bowling. They will do better by accumulating more runs in the middle overs by rotating the strike but this side can put up an improved performance once the likes of Masakadza and Brendan Taylor perform.

Elton Chigumbura’s contribution with the bat was another positive as his run of form had not been impressive in the last few outings.

Here is a selection of five players who we can watch out for in the 2nd ODI:

5. Vinay Kumar

Vinay Kumar bowled an excellent spell with the new ball in the first match but was not rewarded for his efforts though. If you had a penny for every time he had the batsman poking, you would have a minor fortune in your hands.

His figures of 1/57 in his nine overs did not reflect that aspect of his performance. However, he is certainly not a death bowler with his ordinary pace and natural aptitude for length bowling. He does not swing the ball both ways with equal ease as his stock ball is the out-swinger and hence it is difficult to see him filling in for somebody like Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He will have to produce something sensational in the next few matches to make the best of this trip.

4. Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik did not spend a lot of time at the crease in the last game as Virat Kohli chose not to leave anything for him to get. His stay in the Indian team has been a quiet one ever since he set the stage on fire with two consecutive centuries in the warm-up games of the Champions Trophy.

He will have a lot of competition for his spot in the middle-order with Cheteshwar Pujara, Ambati Rayudu joining the race with this series. He certainly has the ability to score those big hundreds batting at number 4 but he does suffer from the flaw of inconsistency. He must continue scoring runs in this series and it is a probability that he will be pushed up the order.

3. Brendan Taylor

The Zimbabwean captain is a charismatic player when he is in his elements. He demanded a lot more of his players during the post-match presentation of the last match but ideally he would rather make a more significant contribution himself.

He can also choose to promote himself up the order in a situation when the team is not scoring at a higher run-rate. Instead of giving the top-order greater license, he would be better off preserving wickets to ensure a competitive total. India’s batting line-up is not flawless and might just crumble under pressure if Zimbabwe have luck on their side.

2. Amit Mishra

India’s spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin have made a wonderful partnership in the last few months. It is difficult to foresee another spinner entering the scheme of things but if anyone deserves a chance then it is Amit Mishra.

The leg-spinner has matured in hostile circumstances, plying his trade in the domestic circuit and the unforgiving T-20 format. The most admirable aspect about his bowling is that he has not lost his guile, his courageous desire to flight the ball and derive turn.

He is a wicket-taking bowler and he proved his merit with a three-wicket spell in the first match. If Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin become gradually more reliable with the bat, India might be able to play a third spinner at home.

Virat Kohli

The Indian captain has nothing to prove on this tour. He just needs to build a good team with this bunch of players so that India have a wider pool of players to choose from. He needs to sharpen his captaincy skills though he has already exhibited an aptitude for leadership.

He rescued the team from a potentially tricky situation in the first ODI match, and did so earlier in the West Indies as well after suffering a humiliating loss against Sri Lanka.

He made his 15th century in the first match of this series and he should target getting as many runs as possible. It will be a delight for the viewers to watch.