DHARAMSALA: Boosted by their dramatic comeback win in the last game, India will look to retain the momentum when they face the West Indies in the fourth One-day International here on Friday.

The five-match series is locked at 1-1 and the HPCA Stadium will provide the perfect setting as the two teams square off to seize the initiative before the final match of the series is held at the Eden Gardens on Oct 20.

India’s series-levelling victory in Delhi was combination of West Indies’ self destruction while cruising towards an easy win and also their inability to play on a track where there is some turn on offer.

Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra exploited the helpful conditions perfectly as the West Indies lost eight wickets for 45 runs in their pursuit of a competitive 263. However, India might find it difficult for their spinners to extract same kind of help from the track here as they did in Delhi.

Notwithstanding the erratic display from the Caribbean batsmen, the battle here should be exciting, considering the fast and bouncy nature of the pitch. There is always a chance of rain in the hills. Therefore, even a light spell of shower will further aid the pacers.

Negotiating a respectable West Indies pace attack on a lively surface will be a test for the Indian batsmen. The hosts had a tough time batting first here against England in January 2013, when they lost half their men for 79 runs before going on to lose the match.

Chief curator Sunil Chauhan has promised the wicket will assist the fast bowlers and that might make either captain consider a four-pronged pace attack. In that situation, leg-spinner Amit Mishra could make way for Ishant Sharma.

With the pitch offering some bounce and lateral movement, Ishant’s hit-the-deck type of bowling might just be ideal.

While the Indian pacers haven’t exactly set the stage on fire during the two ODIs, one man, who has surely impressed is Mohammed Shami.

Shami, with eight wickets from two games, is now the highest wicket-taker in the series and by far looked the best pacer on view during the death overs.

It will be tough for the Indian bowlers to contain the in-form Dwayne Smith and Marlon Samuels, who have batted outstandingly.

In bowling, West Indies skipper Dwayne Bravo would surely expect his pacemen to raise their game. He has the option of bringing in speedster Kemar Roach to support Ravi Rampaul and Jerome Taylor.

Teams (from):

INDIA: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay, Kuldeep Yadav, Akshar Patel.

WEST INDIES: Dwayne Bravo (captain), Dwayne Smith, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2014