3 possible opening combinations for India vs West Indies in ODIs

Shikhar Dhawan's Team India are set to take on the West Indies in a three-match ODI series which will begin on Friday, July 22, at Trinidad. The visitors are coming into the series on the back of a morale-boosting 2-1 win over England in both ODIs and T20Is.

However, a number of big guns from that team, such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, have been rested for the upcoming ODI series. With KL Rahul also yet to recover from his injury, quite a few spots are up for grabs in the playing XI for the fringe players to make their mark.

The biggest opportunity is probably at the top of the order as it's still not clear who will be accompanying Dhawan to face the new ball. The southpaw's form hasn't been great of late and this could perhaps be a great chance for whoever opens with him to make his mark with impactful performances.

Three such players from India's ODI squad might be the front-runners to open with Dhawan. Let's have a look at them:

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#3 Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan has been quite impressive in the limited opportunities that he has got for India in T20Is. He has played just three ODIs till date, but is the only player to have scored a fifty on his T20I as well as ODI debut.

The sample space is very small to judge whether the 23-year-old will be the perfect fit for Dhawan at the top. But the way Kishan approaches his innings will be something that might go his way.

His ultra-attacking intent could really come in handy for the Men in Blue in the first 10 overs as it might also give Dhawan some much-needed time to settle down at the other end.

Moreover, since Kishan can also play as a wicketkeeper, that will give India the option to add an extra batter or bowler to the middle-order according to conditions. Kishan could well be the X-factor needed for the Men in Blue to get rollicking starts consistently.

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#2 Ruturaj Gaikwad

While Ishan Kishan was impressive against the Proteas in the T20I series last month, Ruturaj Gaikwad was inconsistent. He scored just one fifty and looked fidgety at the crease.

Nevertheless, that shouldn't take anything away from Gaikwad's credentials in one-day cricket. The 25-year-old set the Vijay Hazare Trophy on fire with four hundreds from five games and since then has been patiently waiting for his maiden ODI cap.

His elegant strokeplay and ability to pierce the gaps in the powerplay might just make the perfect combination with Dhawan at the top of the order. This format will also give Gaikwad the right amount of time to get his eye in before changing gears.

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#1 Shubman Gill

The most likely contender for the opening spot alongside Dhawan is Shubman Gill. The 22-year-old is rated highly by many and has also played some crucial knocks in Test cricket for India.

Although he has scored just 49 runs from three ODIs so far, Gill looked confident at the crease when he scored a fine 33 against Australia in his previous ODI at Canberra two years ago.

Consistent chances at the top of the order could help the management groom Gill into India's future opener across formats. From his game and the tempo at which he plays, it seems this is his best format and he will be itching to make an impact.