India favourites in ODI series against Windies with Rohit coming lot fresher: Agarkar

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], February 5 (ANI): Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar reckons that the Rohit Sharma-led side will start as favourites in the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies.
Team India are set to play three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad from February 6 followed by the T20I series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata from February 16.
Rohit was supposed to lead the side in the ODIs against South Africa, but a hamstring issue ruled him out. However, he has regained fitness and is ready to lead the Men in Blue.
"I think India are very tough to beat at home. I think with Rohit Sharma coming back a lot fresher, India will start as favourites there's no doubt, especially in the ODI series. The positions need to be cemented whichever it is or wherever they are going to bat whether Rahul is going to come in the middle then he has to stay in the middle for me over the course of the next year and a half till we approach that World Cup," Agarkar said on Star Sports' show 'Game Plan'.
"So, that clarity has to be there because at the moment there are some gaps from that 4, 5 and 6 which will need some firepower in those positions," he added.
When India takes the field on Sunday, it will become the first international team to play 1000 ODIs. Currently, at 999 matches, India accounts for 518 wins and 431 losses. The Men in Blue had played their 500th match in 2002 and two decades later, the side will now reach the milestone of playing 1000 ODIs.
India ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mayank Agarwal, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (available for 2nd ODI), Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan. (ANI)