The home stretch to the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is upon us. Less than eight months to go for the marquee event in the United Kingdom next year, the headlines for India pretty much write themselves.

Three words: Middle-order muddle.

And a formidable India side will hope to get more answers for their unresolved middle-order puzzle when they take on West Indies, minus some star names, in the five-match ODI series starting in Guwahati on Sunday.

With roughly 18 games left to decide their combinations, mainly the number four position where many have been tried but with little success, another series begins. But this time around, going by captain Virat Kohli’s account, India start a series with an answer in mind rather than a question.

And that answer, for now, is Ambati Rayudu.

Perhaps realising that it was high time to stop the chopping and changing (or maybe in an attempt to give Rayudu a confidence boost), Kohli, making his return to white-ball cricket after a much-needed break during the team’s triumphant campaign in Asia Cup, was clear in his assessment of the situation:

“The only position we were trying to figure out was number four for a long time. We tried many players who unfortunately could not capitalise or cement their places in a way we wanted.

“With Rayudu coming in and playing well in the Asia Cup, it’s about giving him enough game time till the World Cup so that the particular slot will be sorted for us,

The team felt there – and I also watched him – that he (Rayudu) is designed to play that middle order batsman’s role. We feel that our middle-order is more or less balanced now.”

It’s perhaps the first time Kohli has hinted at a long run in the side for a middle-order batsmen after months and months of vague deflections about experimentation and trying out different options.

New-look middle order

All things said and done, it will be yet another new combination in the middle order for India. While the top-three select themselves, the spotlight will be on Rayudu at four as he will look to carry forward his fine form of Asia Cup where he amassed 175 runs, averaging 43.75 from six innings. It was an audition that went well for Rayudu, after missing out on the England series due to a failed YoYo test.

Apart from Rayudu, many a keen eye will be on Rishabh Pant who will make his ODI debut, following his exploits in the longest format. Considered long overdue by many, Pant has been brought in the side as a ‘specialist batsman’ at the expense of Dinesh Karthik and will be under a little bit of pressure to perform from the world go.

The 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, who scored a century at the Oval in his debut series against England, continued his sublime form with consecutive scores of 92 against the West Indies in the two-match Test series.

The focus once again will be on MS Dhoni, whose batting ability is on the wane and with limited playing time in the middle, the job gets only tougher for the legendary cricketer. However, chief selector MSK Prasad has time and again said that Dhoni remains the first choice wicketkeeper at least till the World Cup.

Dhoni was far from his best in the Asia Cup, scoring 77 runs in four innings with an average of 19.25 and a strike rate of 62.09. In whole of 2018, he has batted 10 times in 15 matches, averaging 28.12 with a strike rate of 67.36. He will be playing the World Cup in the UK, a country where he is yet to score a century in 20 ODIs and averages 38.06, a sharp drop from his career average of 50.61.

Jadeja continues his comeback

With both Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav absent, India will also have the services of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the lower-order as he continues to make a case for his permanent return to white-ball cricket after a 15-month hiatus. The preceding Test series was productive for the southpaw and so was the Asia Cup, although familiar questions about his temperament with the bat were raised again.

Looking at the bowling attack, the spin department will see the potent duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, while fast bowlers Mohammad Shami and an in-form Umesh Yadav are expected to share the workload in the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, who have been rested for the first two ODIs.

Having been named in the 12-man squad, rookie left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed, who impressed in the two matches he played in Asia Cup, will look to grab the opportunity should he get one.

Unlike the Tests, the West Indies were expected to be much more competitive in ODIs but they are grappling with multiple woes. Dynamic opener Evin Lewis has withdrawn from the ODI series citing personal reasons, dealing another blow to the side which is already missing Chris Gayle and Andre Russell.

To make matters worse, coach Stuart Law, who is into his penultimate assignment with the team, will not be allowed in the dressing room in the first two ODIs after violating the ICC’s code of conduct.

However, the team has veteran Marlon Samuels, captain and all-rounder Jason Holder and pacer Kemar Roach. The squad features three uncapped players – opener Chandrapaul Hemraj, all-rounder Fabian Allen and pacer Oshane Thomas.

The ninth-ranked side lost 1-2 to Bangladesh in its last ODI assignment and has not won a series since 2014.

Much like the Test series was, the ODIs might prove to be a battle against themselves for India. The competition for spots in the side might just prove to more fierce than what West Indies can provide as an oppostion.

Squads

India’s 12-man squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, K Khaleel Ahmed

West Indies: Jason Holder (c), Fabian Allen, Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kieran Powell, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Oshane Thomas and Obed McCoy.

Match starts 1.30pm IST and can be watched on the Star Sports network.

(With PTI inputs)