IND vs WI 2022: 3 player battles to watch out for as India gear up for the second T20I

India will be pleased with the outcome of the first T20I against the West Indies and will look to capitalize on the momentum when they meet Nicholas Pooran and Co. at Warren Park in St. Kitts on Monday (August 1).

The second T20I also provides the hosts a chance to put an end to their misfiring and even better the scoreline after being handed a 68-run defeat. While both teams bring in a new-look squad, there are still enough tussles between key players that promise another exciting contest.

Ahead of the second encounter, we take a look at the three player battles to watch out for.

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#1 Rovman Powell vs India's ace off-spinner R Ashwin

Hard-hitting Windies all-rounder Rovman Powell had a forgettable outing after being cleaned up by Ravi Bishnoi despite getting off to an arguably decent start. The actual challenge, though, comes when he faces Ravichandran Ashwin, who isn't afraid to toss the ball up to the batter, daring him to go for a big hit.

Ashwin had a good outing with the ball in the first ODI, bagging two wickets as India raced home to a win. He dismissed the two big names — Pooran and Shimrom Hetmyer, to seal the deal for India.

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#2 Suryakumar Yadav vs Obed McCoy

The contest between Obed McCoy's variations and Suryakumar Yadav's pyrotechnics will be an interesting one. The Zimbabwe squad snub might be weighing in on Yadav's mind as he heads into the second T20I eager to prove a point.

McCoy was one of the bowlers with a better economy rate in the first T20I. He gave away 30 runs in his four overs, finishing with an economy of 7.50. He also picked up the important wicket of Shreyas Iyer. That said, McCoy will be wary of the damage Yadav can cause if he sticks around long enough. This will be a cracker of a contest between the two.

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#3 Dinesh Karthik vs Akeal Hosein

Left-arm tweaker Akeal Hosein was as miserly as he could get with the ball, giving away just 14 runs from his four overs. However, if he does get a chance to bowl against Dinesh Karthik, the contest between the spinner and India's comeback man will be one to remember.

It was Karthik who was instrumental in the previous game with a belligerent 19-ball-41* studded with four fours and two sixes. It will be guile versus experience if the duo face off on Monday.