India's chance at redemption

International cricket returns to its regular grind after the Twenty20 wave of the IPL and the World Twenty20. The success of the two tournaments leaves the 50-over format competing for popularity, and India and West Indies will play out its most immediate test. The Indian cricketers managed to avoid much of the media backlash in the aftermath of their woeful exit from the World Twenty20,with a bulk of their team flying straight to the Caribbean from England. However, this the tour hands them a chance of atoning for the debacle by reversing their abysmal record in the region. Of the 20 ODIs India have played in the West Indies, they've won just five - the only country where they have done worse is in South Africa. (Click here for India's ODI record against each team overseas.)

The teams have played five ODI series in the West Indies, with India emerging winners just once, in 2002. But success then was small consolation following a heartbreaking loss in the Tests, when India squandered a 1-0 lead and eventually lost the series 2-1. India, before their next outing in 2006, was the team to beat in ODIs, winning on 17 consecutive occasions while chasing. But an agonizing one-run defeat in Kingston ended the run and India never recovered, losing the ODI series 4-1. Since 2005, the teams have played 14 ODIs and their record stands even, with seven wins and losses for each.

West Indies have a point to prove themselves, despite the convincing series win two years ago and reaching the semi-finals of the World Twenty20. Though they've won 22 of the 38 ODI series played at home, and have a favourable win-loss ratio against most teams except South Africa and Australia, their record since 2008 has been poor. They've won eight - three of them against Bermuda and Canada - and lost 20, including 5-0 series defeats against South Africa and Australia, and a 3-0 loss to Pakistan.

Like in the World Twenty20, it was the batting that let India down in their previous ODI series in the Caribbean. However, the series was more closely fought than the final scoreline of 4-1 suggests. There were phases in each of the five games where either team could have driven home the advantage, but West Indies won the battle of the nerves in the end. The first three ODIs were decided in the last over, India failed to capitalise on early wickets in the fourth and botched up the run-chase in the fifth, losing by 18 runs.

But only five Indian players from that squad feature in this tour. Among those in the current squad, Yuvraj Singh was India's top performer, averaging 45.75 from four games and scoring two half-centuries. Suresh Raina struggled, averaging 17.25, while MS Dhoni didn't make much of an impact with 23.75. (Click here for the record of India's batsmen against West Indies.)

Still, India's batsmen have enjoyed an excellent run since the start of the year with five of their top six averaging over 40. Both of India's series wins this year have come overseas, in Sri Lanka and New Zealand while their opponents have had a disappointing year so far with three consecutive series defeats, to New Zealand and twice to England.

Ishant Sharma tops the wickets chart for India in 2009 and he's been supported well by Praveen Kumar. Spinners Pragyan Ojha and Yuvraj have also proved effective, though Harbhajan Singh has had a fairly quiet year. Ashish Nehra, who returns to the Indian side after a long break, excelled in the IPL and if his form is anything to go by, India's bowling attack appears in good shape.

For West Indies, as usual, Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been the stand-out player this year with an average of 62.14 in 10 games. He's followed by Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who had a superb outing the last time he played India in the Caribbean. Sarwan, in fact, has an excellent overall record against India, averaging 69.69 in 20 ODIs. (Click here for the record of West Indies batsmen against India, and here for their record in the West Indies.)

Dwayne Bravo has had a decent year, averaging 33 with the bat and taking ten wickets at 25. Kieron Pollard has been their most effective bowler with 12 wickets at 25.41, while Jerome Taylor, too, has been impressive. Though Michael Holding pointed out that the absence of Fidel Edwards could hurt West Indies, his performance in ODIs this year has been ordinary with eight wickets at 44.50.