India A look to win 2nd one-dayer in a row

BANGALORE: India 'A' will go into Tuesday's second one-day match against West Indies 'A' on the back of a convincing win at M Chinnaswamy stadium. While the first encounter, which India won by 77 runs on Sunday, will have boosted the confidence of skipper Yuvraj Singh and his teammates, it also throws up a couple of questions.

With the likes of Yuvraj, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan eager to hog the limelight as they plot comebacks into the senior side, how will the team management handle the delicate task of priming big names while also keeping the second-string hungry? With a talented Windies 'A' team unlikely to threaten the hosts too much, should the onus be more on youngsters?

Whatever the answer is, India 'A' will still go into the second 50-over contest here as favourites as they look to swiftly seal the three-match series. Allowing the visitors back in could diminish opportunities for the younger players in the third one-dayer later this week.

India 'A' coach Lalchand Rajput said the tournament will be a platform for all players. "We will definitely look at it (the series) from that angle. There will be lots of opportunities not just for players making a comeback. At the same time, we have got to win as well, so we have to manage both," Rajput told reporters after India 'A' had an optional practice session in the morning.

Rajput said he was impressed with the enthusiasm shown by top players and suggested that local lad Robin Uthappa too could be a contender for a comeback if he sparkled as he did against New Zealand 'A' recently with innings of 103, 12 and 46. "Uthappa batted well against New Zealand 'A' too. If he can consistently perform here, then he too will be knocking on the door," the coach added.

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Shweta Pandey

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