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West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran aware of India’s bench strength ahead of ODI series

The T20 World Cup for this year is slated to begin in October in Australia. One of the teams that will be looking to make an impact in the tournament and reclaim their lost glory in the shortest format of the game will be the 2012 and 2016 champions, West Indies. The Caribbean T20 side is currently on its path to recovery following a few disappointing seasons. 


Young wicket keeper batter Nicholas Pooran took over the reins of the limited overs sides from Kieron Pollard, after the latter announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this year. The 26-year old has shown the world how destructive he can be with the bat and also impressed one and all with his glove-work behind the stumps. 

Pooran stresses on the importance of performing well in the five match T20I series against India 


The West Indian T20I team is currently going through a transitional phase, as they are left to build a team without their star players like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard who bid adieu to international cricket recently. They had a disappointing 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE  where they were eliminated in the group stage itself. 


Things haven't been going in their favour as they lost back to back ODI series against Pakistan and Bangladesh. However they won the recently concluded T20I series against Bangladesh, which will give them much needed confidence heading into the series against India. 


"We are trying to find out the right mindset for ODI cricket. Once we get that, we will be fine, but now it's about forming a template for each format." 


Pooran said of the limited overs series that begins against India with an ODI at the Queen’s Park Oval on Friday to TOI. 

The Indian ODI team will be led by opener Shikhar Dhawan in the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma while Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah will be missing the T20I series. 


West Indies will surely fancy their chances against an Indian side that will be missing some of their key players. 


However Pooran feels India will still be a force to reckon with. Praising India’s bench strength, Pooran said, "They have millions of players who can come and do that role. They have match-winners with bat and ball and we can come out and challenge them here and Florida, it will send a message across the cricket world. And it will be fabulous for us as a group as well."


West Indies have named a 13-man squad for the three-match ODI series against India which starts from Friday. 


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