With two convincing victories under their belt, a confident India look to assert their superiority in the triangular one-day series for the Coca Cola Cup when they take on West Indies in Bulawayo tomorrow.

The two teams are playing each other after a gap of two years and with a lot of newcomers in both sides, are unaware of their strengths and weaknesses.

India, who have already assured themselves a berth in the final, will like to treat the two matches with West Indies as a precursor to the title clash which in all probability would be played between the same teams.

For the West Indies, who defeated Zimbabwe in the only match they played so far, it is a crucial game because theoretically there is still a possibility of their being relegated.

The record is heavily tilted in favour of West Indies who have won 40 of the 63 matches played between the two countries with India winning 21.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, after the last match against Zimbabwe, had said he would like to experiment with the team now that they were through to the final. Some of the players have not got a chance to play and might get their opportunity tomorrow.

Pacemen Debasish Mohanty and Harvinder Singh and all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi have not played any match in this series so far and there were indications that all three may be accommodated tomorrow.

That will mean a well-earned rest for Ashish Nehra and possibly Ajit Agarkar and VVS Laxman who would get more time to let his injured left index finger heal.

Sodhi has had a presence on the field in both the games against Zimbabwe coming on as a substitute fielder but for Mohanty and Harvinder this will be their first outing.

Nehra has been the outstanding bowler for India on this tour and has done exceptionally well both in the Tests and the one-dayers. He has bowled tirelessly and the team would like to preserve his energies for the final.

The batsmen have come up with a satisfactory performance in the series so far and with Ganguly finally getting runs in the last match, the line-up looks quite formidable. Though Ganguly was patchy in his 85- run innings, the team must be hoping that the captain has finally come out of his prolonged lean form.

The team had some other reasons too to draw satisfaction. Dinesh Mongia played with a lot of confidence in the last match and vice- captain Rahul Dravid was in ominous touch. Though Hemang Badani and Virendra Sehwag were non-performers with the bat, the two have proved their credentials in limited overs cricket and can be relied upon to come up with useful knocks.

For these youngsters, this would be their first experience of the West Indies pace attack which is still quite formidable even in these lean days of West Indian cricket. It will be a test of their technique and temperament when they face the likes of Mervyn Dillon, Reon King and Cameroon Cuffy.

Conversely, it would be interesting to see how the West Indian bowlers fare against the experience and class of Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid, three of the top batsmen in the world in both forms of cricket.

Apart from Cuffy, Dillon and King, three men who are capable of demolishing any opposition with their pace, West Indies have spin variety too in the form of Mahendra Nagamootoo - a leg-spinner - and captain Carl Hooper who can be very effective with his slow off- spinners.

Though the inspirational Brian Lara is absent, West Indies have some very competent youngsters and they showed their prowess in the game against Zimbabwe the other day.

Hooper and left-hander Shivnaraine Chanderpaul are the most experienced of the lot and they form the batting mainstay of their team. Openers Chris Gayle and Darren Ganga and Wavell Hinds are very exciting prospects with the ability of playing big knocks.

The wicket looks to be perfect for batting and tomorrow's game is expected to be marked by high scoring.

The teams (from):

India: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Mongia, Rahul Dravid, Hemang Badani, Virendra Sehwag, Samir Dighe, Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Harvinder Singh, Harbhajan Singh Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan and Debasish Mohanty.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Darren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Reon King, Cameroon Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Marion Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarawan, Kerry Jeremy.

© PTI