After loss, India expect a Caribbean cruise

After a disappointing day in the opener against Sri Lanka, India can afford to relax a bit when they take on a depleted West Indies on Sunday.

After a disappointing day in the Indian Oil Cup opener against Sri Lanka, India can afford to relax a bit when they take on a depleted West Indies here at the Rangiri Stadium on Sunday.

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Coming off a 2-0 defeat in the just concluded two-Test series against Sri Lanka, the West Indies would be hoping for a turn in fortunes. For India, despite the weak opposition, the match is of importance as it gives them an opportunity to try different combinations.

The match is also significant in the sense that after the West Indies game former India skipper Sourav Ganguly would be eligible to play again having served a shortened four-match ban.

Indian coach Greg Chappell could treat this game as a last experiment before he makes up his mind for the next matches. VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Laxmipathi Balaji and Jai Prakash Yadav would all be waiting for a call to flex their muscles.

For local organisers, however, it's going to be one of those games that would be played before empty stands. The star-less Caribbean side has already ensured a revenue loss for Sri Lanka Cricket.

However, skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul is determined to bury recent defeats and start afresh with his bunch of inexperienced players. "They put up a good fight against Sri Lanka in the Test series. That's an encouraging sign for us," said Chanderpaul.