JOIN USEquipped with a top-order that is riding an unprecedented run of rich form, India are favoured to extend their dominance while West Indies face insurmountable odds to draw parity, in the second one-day international here on Wednesday.
It has been a mismatch of gigantic proportions so far and it looks highly unlikely that West Indies would have much of a chance against a well-oiled machine that India seem to be at home.
If captain Virat Kohli adds another 81 runs to his awe-inspiring tally, he will become the fastest man to 10,000 runs in this format, surpassing the iconic Sachin Tendulkar.
Tendulkar took 259 innings to get there and Kohli has so far batted 204 times.
Notwithstanding the Indian bowlers' profligate display, albeit on a belter, the home team made easy work of what looked like a stiff 323-run target in the series opener, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match rubber.
In Guwahati, India unleashed their batting might as Kohli and opener Rohit Sharma, arguably the two best batsmen in the 50-over game at the moment, smashed big hundreds in quick time.
Finishing the game with eight overs to spare was a statement of sorts, and another blow to the West Indies' morale.
However, despite the convincing margin of victory, India will be better off with a bit of frugality from their bowlers at the Dr. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium.
Besides, India are unlikely to get enough opportunities to test their middle-order against this West Indies attack, what with the home team's top three batsmen in the mood to plunder runs.
Kohli also knows his team is thin in the bowling department, and West Indies made full use of the weakness, though the visiting team's attack too, was taken to the task under lights.
In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the Indian seamers were not up to the mark at the Barsapara Stadium.
Also, Ravindra Jadeja did not look threatening in the middle overs and this allowed West Indies batsmen to keep going for their strokes.
After making a fine comeback in ODIs against Bangladesh in the group stage of Asia Cup, Jadeja had not been as penetrative in the rest of the matches.
He leaked runs in the first game of the ongoing series, but considering his all-round abilities, he is expected to get a longer run.
Mohammed Shami was wayward and was taken for plenty of runs -- 81 to be precise -- in his quota of 10 overs. Given the lack of options at his disposal at the moment though, Kohli could continue with the seamer.
Fresh from a 10-wicket outing in the second Test, Umesh Yadav could not replicate his red ball form, conceding too many runs.
More than his bowling figures, what was disturbing was the fact that the speedster lacked direction, something that has troubled him in the past as well.
With less than a year left for the World Cup and the team management eager to form a pool of fast bowlers for the showpiece in England, Umesh is also likely to get an extended run.
India could still ring in a change or two, though.
Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, who was not played in the opening game and which had a bearing on the middle overs, is likely to replace Khaleel Ahmed, who looked out of sorts against the marauding Shimron Hetmyer, who struck a blazing 78-ball 106.