India start favourites against Windies

Just when everything was going right for Indian cricket, the controversy regarding use of performance enhancing drugs has spoilt the Indian party in Zimbabwe. With four straight wins under their belt and a place in the finals, India would be eager to win on Saturday against the West Indies and bag the triangular one-day contest. The Indian skipper, Sourav Ganguly would be even more anxious to win the final as he has won the last match of a series only once and that was against Zimbabwe at Rajkot. Every other time he has lost in the last match of a series.He lost the final match of the series against South Africa, against New Zealand in the ICC Trophy, the final at Sharjah and the last match against the Aussies at Goa in the recent home tour. Interestingly, India has reached the final of a tournament featuring 3 or more nations 33 times. Out of these, India has won the championship on 17 occasions. As far as the playing eleven for the final goes, India once again has the problem of plenty. The Indian squad is in form with the batsmen getting useful runs and the bowlers running through the opposition. It will not be an easy task for the Indian team management to pick the playing 11 for the final against the West Indies on Saturday.In all probability, Zaheer Khan who was rested in the last match should be in. Nehra and Harbhajan seem a certainty. Mohanty and Harvinder have been bowling well but one of them will have to, unfortunately, sit out the final. But having said that, India can spring a surprise once again by hurtling Agarkar in. VVS Laxman seems to have recovered from a finger injury and in that case will be playing the final. It will then be a toss up between Dinesh Mongia, Virender Shewag and Hemang Badani.In any case, it will be interesting to see how Ganguly and the team management go about selecting the side. For the West Indies, mauled by the Indians in the last two matches, the strategy would be simple - Somehow win the toss and ask India to bat. India has not batted first throughout the competition and they might just be caught on the wrong foot in the final if asked to bat first.That seems to be the only way out for WI who are up against a charged up and positive Indian side. With Tendulkar in cracking form and fresh after hitting his 29th ton in the last match against the Windies, there will be little respite for the West Indian bowlers. The West Indies has had an ordinary tour apart from the comprehensive win against Zimbabwe in the first match of the series.The batting looks circumspect and lacking in the absence of Brian Lara. Chanderpaul and Hooper have not really been able to shoulder the batting. W. Hinds has had some useful knocks to his credit and will be looking forward to take on the Indian bowlers. The Windies had a decent start against the Indians at the last match but somehow lost out in the middle and end overs.In the absence of Cameroon Cuffy out of reckoning thanks to a fracture on his left foot, The West Indian bowling does not look menacing. Mervyn Dillon and Reon King have just about performed okay and Nagamootoo and Neil McGarrell have not been that effective.The odds are heavily loaded in India's favour and unless Ganguly and his men make a right mess of it and choke in the finals, the Coca Cola trophy is already in India's grasp.Teams (from): India: Saurav Ganguly (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, V V S Laxman, Hemang Badani, Virendra Sehwag, Dinesh Mongia, Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Samir Dighe, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Debasish Mohanty, Harvinder Singh. West Indies: Carl Hooper (capt), Darren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Neil McGarrell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Reon King, Mervyn Dillon, Colin Stuart, Corey Collymore.