STAND-IN captain Kieron Pollard said the absence of regular West Indies ODI skipper Dwayne Bravo from yesterday’s nail-biting one-wicket win over India was due to “precautionary” measures taken by the management staff.

In his post-match comments, Pollard after his debut role as the regional team’s skipper, explained that Bravo was out due to “precautionary” measures. The big all-rounder added that “in Trinidad he (Bravo) should be the one taking the mantle”.

Many at Sabina Park were left surprised after Pollard strode to the middle to spin the toss with India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The West Indies Cricket Board issued a release 30 minutes before the scheduled start stating that Bravo and his Trinidadian counterpart Ravi Rampaul were nursing injuries and would not feature.

It said Bravo, 29, was out because of a “slight groin strain”. In the meantime, the 28-year-old pacer Rampaul, who rolled his ankle while snaring 3-38 against Sri Lanka on Friday, is expected to be out for three weeks with a sprain.

Dhoni, who made 27 in his side’s innings, injured his hamstring and played no part in the match after the lunch interval. Captaincy duties were given to Virat Kohli, while the versatile Dinesh Karthik went behind the stumps.

The Jamaica Observer was not able to ascertain the extent of Dhoni’s injury, but the 31-year-old was observed smiling as he walked onto the field for the post-match presentations.