Clinical India ease to win to lead 2-0

Half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel followed up Amit Mishra's career-best bowling to lead India to a seven-wicket victory over West Indies in the rain-affected 2nd One-day International on Wednesday.

Virat Kohli struck six fours and one six in 81 from 103 balls to earn the Man-of-the-Match award, and Patel made 56 from 64 deliveries, as the Indians, chasing a revised target of 183 from 37 overs due to rain, reached their target with 20 balls remaining.

India skipper Suresh Raina clinched victory, when he steered a delivery from Ravi Rampaul wide of point for two runs.

India now lead the five-match series 2-0, following a four-wicket victory in the first ODI two days ago at the same venue.

Amit Mishra had upstaged half-centuries from Lendl Simmons and Ramnaresh Sarwan, triggering a batting collapse with a career-best spell, as West Indies posted 240 for nine from their allotted 50 overs.

Mishra captured four for 31, as the Windies collapsed dramatically from a comfortable 175 for two in the 36th before the WI skipper Darren Sammy added some late order runs.

Munaf Patel bagged three for 35 from 10 overs, and Yusuf Pathan took two for 51 from eight overs to play their part in destabilising the West Indies' batting.

India suffered an early setback, when Shikhar Dhawan was caught at square cover off Ravi Rampaul for three in the third over. However, a second wicket stand of 120 between Kohli and Patel put India firmly on track, while enduring two stoppages for rain.

Patel was caught behind down the leg-side off leg-spinner Anthony Martin in the 27th over but he had made 56 off 64 by then, and Kohli was caught at long-off off Devendra Bishoo, the other West Indies leggie, in the 31st over. However, at that stage, India required only 10 more runs to achieve the D/L adjusted target and get a 2-0 lead, which Raina and Rohit Sharma duly delivered.

The 3rd ODI will be played on June 11 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Indian ODI Team selection on May 13

The Indian squad for the one-day series and a Twenty20 match against the West Indies in the latter's backyard will be picked on May 13 in Chennai.

"The selection panel is to meet at Chennai on May 13 to choose the team," Cricket Board sources told PTI.

The meeting will be held a day after Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would have led Chennai Super Kings against the Delhi Daredevils at home. The Super Kings' next fixture is against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, also at the M A Chidambaram Stadium, on May 18.

The Indian squad, which is scheduled to leave for the Caribbean on June 1, will start the tour with a Twenty20 international against the West Indies at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain in Trinidad on June 4.

The five ODIs follow the conclusion of the one-off Twenty20 game at the Queen's Park Oval (June 6 & 8), Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua (June 11 and 13) and Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica (June 16).

After the conclusion of the limited-overs games, India will take on the West Indies in a three-match Test Series from June 20-July 10 with the matches scheduled at the Sabina Park, Kensington Oval in Bridgetown and Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica.

Senior players to skip ODI series in West Indies

Some of India's senior cricketers, including skipper MS Dhoni, are likely to skip the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies starting early June.

Already exhausted by a crammed international schedule, the senior players want to take some rest.

A top BCCI source said that it is possible that at least five-six senior players may be rested since India has a hectic international schedule ahead.

While some senior players may skip only the ODI series, others who have injury problems in recent times may opt out of the entire tour of the West Indies where they play one T20 International, five ODIs and three match Test series during the tour starting June 4.

Opening batsman Virender Sehwag is likely to miss the entire tour of the West Indies to regain full fitness, while other senior players like Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh may be rested in a phased manner.

It is learnt that some senior players have already written to the BCCI expressing their desire to skip the tour of the West Indies so that they are fit enough for the crucial tours of England and Australia later in the year.

India have a hectic international schedule this year. Immediately after the ongoing Indian Premier League, India will tour the West Indies for five ODIs and three Tests, followed by a long tour of England in July-August.

England will then come to India for a One-day international series in November and West Indies will follow for a three-Test and five ODI series. The Indians then travel to Australia for a high-profile series in December-January.

If the senior cricketers are rested, some of the players who have done well in the ongoing IPL like Paul Valthaty of Kings XI Punjab and Ambati Ryudu of Mumbai Indians may get an opportunity.

There is also speculation that Yuvraj Singh, who has been in terrific form and named the player of the tournament in the World Cup 2011, could be named captain in the absence of Dhoni and other senior players.