India vs Windies 2018: Windies Batsmen Must be Careful with Shot Selection - Zaheer Khan

Former India fast bowler, Zaheer Khan feels Windies batsmen must be careful with their shot selection so that they can dominate on the opposition. Meanwhile, India had won the first game of the five-match ODI series in Guwahati by eight wickets. For hosts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma hit respective hundreds.

However, India is leading the board of top-order partnership for the first and second wicket since April 2015. Meanwhile, Zaheer Khan feels India and England have been playing some excellent cricket in the white-ball format for some time. Also, the Windies couldn’t put up some good show and were also lagging in building partnerships.

“I think there are no surprises when you look at this list. India and England have been playing consistently well in 50 over format for a while now. And the West Indies have been consistently not been upto the mark, and you have seen it with the teams that if you dont set the tone right, you know always catching up with the game,” Zaheer Khan said.

Moreover, the 40-year old also said it is necessary to pick up early wickets for the bowlers. The first ten overs are the crucial overs, and after that, it is easy to hit balls outside the 30-yard circle. Zaheer Khan reckons India, England, and Australia were the only teams who did this on a regular basis.

“You know be it bowling or the batting. If you are bowling first you got to pick those early wickets, you have to set the tone of the match. And if you are batting then the first partnership, that is the crucial one. In that first overs if you have not scored that many runs as well. You have seen it with the best team. You have seen it with India, you have seen it with England,  you had seen it with Australia when they were at their prime,” Zaheer Khan added.

Furthermore, India is currently playing their second ODI against the Windies in Visakhapatnam. Zaheer Khan also said the Windies batsman should bat sensibly as and when required. The batsman should be perfect about their shot selection which will only help to build up a partnership and put pressure on the bowlers. 

“We are talking about in today’s match. It’s a six-hitting ground, so bowlers once they get hit for sixes there are just going to throw off that balance. The Windies batsman should have some little bit of sensibility in those kinds of situations which can throw the opponent captain’s plan of the window.” Khan concluded.