India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI: Live Telecast, Live Streaming, Team Combination: Will KL Rahul play?

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Ahmedabad, February 8: India showed a lot of intent while chasing 176 in the first ODI against West Indies and going forward the team will continue to bat in a similar fashion, hinted Suryakumar Yadav on Tuesday (February 8), and would look to bag the three-match series, in which India are leading 1-0.

India had chased down the target in just 28 overs. Surya also feels that batting first isn’t really a big challenge for the side as India prepares for the second ODI on Wednesday (February 9).

“Not really, I think, we have kept things really simple, we are going to bat the same way, we did in the last game, it is just that when we bat first, we need to try and bat till the end to have that defendable score, but the way we batted in the second innings in the last game, I think it was perfect.

“"I think the tempo was nice, the intensity and the intent was really good, so there is nothing to change, I mean you just need to be safe and just express ourselves,” he said.

Across the T20 and ODI format, Surya has batted at number 3, 4, 5 and 6. In the first ODI against West Indies, he came at five.

“It is not too different (batting at number five), I have been batting at all the positions and I am really flexible, so where ever the team management decides and wants me to bat, I am really flexible to bat at any position,” he said.

“We almost ticked all the boxes, we will try and repeat the same and that is always a challenge to repeat what we do in the first game everywhere, so let’s see, really looking forward," he said.

According to Surya, he also does a lot of net sessions at home and the motivation to play for the county comes from inside.

Talking about his wide range of strokes, he said: "It all came from practise, I mean it was not that difficult, I knew I just had to work on few strokes, where I can get runs.

“So, I was focussing on that and slowly kept working in the nets, did lot of match simulations when I was back home and with lot of perfect practise it came automatically,” he added.

Surya refused to divulge any detail on team combination with K L Rahul back in the side after missing the first game.

“This is a wrong department; you have asked a question to the wrong person (laughs). They (KL Rahul and Mayank) were seen in training and I am sure they coming back into the squad after quarantine, it makes our unit stronger.

“At the end of the day, it is all team management’s call, who is going to play and who is not going to play, so but yeah really happy to have them back.”

Surya said he was available to bowl if the team needs it.

“Yes (I can contribute with the ball), whenever I will get an opportunity, I will bowl and I have been regularly bowling in the nets, whenever they feel they (team management) feel, they can use me, always available,” the Mumbaikar added.

He also doesn't like comparisons. “Let me be Suryakumar Yadav…with difficulty have played 5-7 games for India…but yes I am trying, whichever number I get to bat, and can win the team from any situation, so that will be my effort.

"Even if I bat first, I will do the same things, I will try to express (myself) and be fearless as I always am,” he said when asked about his comparisons with Michael Bevan.

Match info

Match Day: February 9 (Wednesday)

Match time: 7.30 PM IST

Live Telecast: Star Sports Networks

Live Streaming: Disney + HotStar