• India cruised to their biggest win against the West Indies in the Caribbean in terms of runs in the second One-Day International in Trinidad on Sunday.
  • The last time Yuvraj Singh bowled in an ODI outside India was against Bangladesh in Dhaka in the opening match of the 2011 World Cup.
  • Kuldeep Yadav became the first chinaman bowler to play an ODI for India.
  • Shai Hope is the only player in West Indies squad who averages above 35.
  • The four sixes hit by Virat Kohli during the match is the fourth most for him in an ODI innings and the most in an innings outside India.
  • Most 50+ scores in WI vs Ind ODIs: 15 Sachin Tendulkar (39 innings), 12 Shivnarine Chanderpaul (41), Ramnaresh Sarwan (31), VIRAT KOHLI (24) *
  • Kohli (when on 44) became the 4th player to aggregate 6000 ODI runs at No 3 after Ponting (12662), Sangakkara (9747) & Kallis (7774).
  • With 96 instances, India now have the most 300+ totals in ODI cricket. They have overtaken Australia, who had 95.

In a certain sense, the second ODI between India and West Indies was a statistically significant one. One look at the aforementioned list and you know that the match will make it to the record books for more than one reason. But, honestly, do these numbers mean anything at all?

Statistics are sometimes an exercise in futility. Well, some might argue that is true for the series itself but if you have been following cricket for a while then you know that this is West Indies cricket at its lowest point. The flair... the flamboyance are long gone and have been replaced by a rag tag bunch of journeymen cricketers who would probably struggle to get into the top Ranji sides in India.

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The only statistic that perhaps does matter is that since January 2007, India have won 22 out of 30 ODIs against the West Indies. The West Indies still lead 60-54 in the overall head-to-head but we all know that as things stand, their cricket is a lost cause.

So then – was there perhaps a better way for India to approach this series?

Of course, there was. In the past, India has sent virtual “A” teams to Zimbabwe and perhaps it is time to take the same approach against the West Indies too. A Virat Kohli fifty here helps no one – not the Indian captain himself nor India. If Virat was short of confidence, it would have made sense to play and get some runs under the belt but he had a pretty decent Champions Trophy and his decision to play serves no purpose. This can’t be about getting a better average.

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Given the Anil Kumble situation, Kohli is right in wanting to stay with the team but does that mean he needs to play as well? There are enough promising cricketers in India and any one of them could have been given a go. In many ways, this is the perfect series to get rid of the international jitters.

Then again, what is true of Kohli is also true of Dhoni. By playing this series, Dhoni isn’t proving anything to anyone. But on the other hand, Rishabh Pant can be eased into the mix. Kohli has hinted at giving him a go in the third ODI but did he really need to wait this long?

“We’ll sit down and decide as a team about changes that can be made. We’ll go to Antigua and regroup, and that’s a possibility as well, give a few guys an opportunity,” said Kohli in the post-match interview.

Hopefully, that also means he will give himself (and Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar) the opportunity to catch some rest. Or else, we could be treated to another pointless statistics fest that will help neither India nor the West Indies and be as interesting as watching someone flog a dead horse.