No Gayle, No Narine, No Bravo – Here Are Five Men to Keep an Eye on for Windies’ ODI Series in India

The Windies squad announced for the 5-match ODI series against India later this month is missing some superstars. Chris Gayle has opted out and the likes of Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard are also not available. While several of the men on duty for the series may not be household names, there is still some exciting talent in the mix. CricketNext takes a look at the ones who could potentially make an impact.

Jason Holder

Matches 80 | Wickets 110 | Average 31.67

He's not talked up like the Ben Stokes or touted to be the next Garry Sobers like in the case of Hardik Pandya but Jason Holder, the leader of the pack, gets the job done quietly without much fuss. An honest trier, Holder has been at the wrong ends of some individual brilliance in the past, namely AB de Villiers. He has an ODI bowling average of 31.67 and an impressive strike rate of 35.00. That he is more than handy with the bat adds to his value to the team. In the absence of the star names, a lot will be expected off Holder to lead the side from the front, like the second Test against India.

Shai Hope

Matches 36 | Runs 1115 | Average 37.16

(Getty Images)

The highest run-scorer for West Indies the last time they played India, West Indies will rely heavily on the right-handed batsman to come good for them to challenge the strong bowling lineup of India. Hope scored 181 runs in the series with a couple of half-centuries and will be expected to be the glue that holds the Windies batting lineup together.

Shimron Hetmyer

Matches 12 | Runs 479 | Average 39.91

Shimron Hetmyer hit a fifty in the first ODI. (ICC)

The left-handed batsman from Guyana may not have had much to show for in the first Test but he remains a player who could end up playing a vital role in the ODI setup. It was Hetmyer who brought West Indies their first U19 World Cup title in Bangladesh in 2015-16 and since then has been fast-tracked into the national side. He had a brilliant CPL 2018, where he was also the youngest centurion, hitting a belligerent ton off just 47 balls. On his day he could turn the game on its head by himself and Trinbago Knight Riders found that out when Hetmyer, playing for Amazon Warriors needed to chase down 155 in 15.3 overs and Hetmyer smashed a 30-ball 59 to take his side home.

Keemo Paul

Matches 6 | Wickets 6 | Average 40.83

(ICC)

Keemo Paul became a name to be remembered after he effected a Mankad to dismiss the last Zimbabwean batsmen in their final group match before being the one to hit the winning runs against India in the U19 World Cup Final in 2016. Paul had a vital role to play during the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe where he bowled really well. He took only five wickets in four games but had an economy of just 3.94 and bowled with real intent throughout the tournament. He has a decent List A record for a 20-year-old, having taken 37 wickets in 27 games at an average of 26.

Oshane Thomas

(List A) Matches 9 | Wickets 10 | Average 44.30

(CPL via Getty Images)

The 21-year-old from Jamaica is one of the three uncapped players who are a part of the ODI squad. It was Thomas’ fabulous performance in the CPL 2018 which drew all the attention to him. He took 18 wickets at an average of 17.66. He also clicked over 150 kph during the tournament which should encourage the fans of the Windies. Thomas probably bowled the ball of the CPL 2018 when he castled Shai Hope with an absolute beauty. Clearly, the potential for him to be a regular in this setup is very much there.

Absolute beauty!! Oshane Thomas takes home the #Playoftheday crown for match 20 of #CPL18 pic.twitter.com/S5ihcrvVek

— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 30, 2018

The Series begins in Guwahati on October 21 and the teams play in Visakhapatanam, Pune and Mumbai before finishing off the series in Thiruvananthapuram on November 1. They meet in a three-match T20 series following the ODIs.