Ind vs WI: Deepak Hooda in Line For Debut as Covid Hits Team India; Could Replace Shreyas Iyer in Playing XI For 1st ODI

India's Playing XI vs West Indies, 1st ODI: Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja will not be available for various reasons and that may be a blessing in disguise for Deepak

Ahmedabad: With a number of players likely not to be available for selection for the first ODI versus West Indies, all-rounder Deepak Hooda may get to make his ODI debut. Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja will not be available for various reasons and that may be a blessing in disguise for Deepak, who has been among the top-all-rounders in the IPL over the past few seasons. He has been part of the Indian squad on two previous occasions, but unfortunately never got a game.

With Shikhar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaikwad also testing positive for Covid, it is likely that KL Rahul opens with newly-appointed full-time limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma.

Virat Kohli would slot in at No 3, while Suryakumar Yadav may play at No 4 depending on the match situation.

It would be Rishabh Pant who would walk out at No 5 and could be followed by Hooda. Hooda coming in after Pant would give the all-rounder a chance to play the role of a finisher – like he has done over the years in the IPL.

India’s Predicted XI for 1st ODI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

India would look to start afresh after the debacle in South Africa where they were whitewashed in the three ODIs. Rohit would be leading the side as a full-time skipper. It would be interesting to see Kohli’s role on the side. The first ODI takes place at the Narendra Modi Stadium on February 6.