India Eye World Test Championship Boost From Struggling West Indies

10.07.2023 - 14:07 sports.ndtv.com

India's latest quest for an elusive World Test Championship title gets under way on Wednesday in the lush tropical setting of Windsor Park Stadium in Dominica against a West Indies team expected to struggle to cope with the formidable challenge presented by the visitors in the two-match series.

Rocked by the failure of the two-time winners to qualify for the 50-over-a-side World Cup in India in October-November this year, the Caribbean cricket community is unlikely to find solace in the shape of Kraigg Brathwaite's side in seeking to end a barren run of 21 years without a single Test match victory against the Indians.

This brief series, which ends in Trinidad the following week in what will be the 100th Test between the two teams, marks the start of the next two-year WTC cycle leading to the final in 2025.

Beaten by New Zealand in the inaugural final in 2021 and then outplayed by Australia in the 2023 decider just four weeks ago, Rohit Sharma's team is likely to show no more than three changes from the side that lost the new Test cricket showpiece by 209 runs at The Oval in London.

cricket India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team 2023 Test Virat Kohli Jason Holder Rohit Sharma Cheteshwar Pujara Australia New Zealand India Dominica county Windsor county Park

India thrashed West Indies by an innings and 141 runs on Day 3 of the first Test of the two-match series. The Rohit Sharma-led side comfortably dominated the hosts as debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal played a blistering knock of 171, followed by Ravichandran Ashwin scalping a whopping total of 12 wickets. The second and final Test will begin from July 20 and the visitors will be going in as the favourites. Currently, Team India is number one Test team in the world as per the ICC rankings but their place is not at all secured, even if they defeat West Indies 2-0.

Watch: "Kaun Si Batting Kar Raha Hai...": Stump-Mic Catches Virat Kohli Mocking West Indies Star

India dominated a hapless West Indies team in the first Test in Dominica to win by an innings and 141 runs. Yashahvi Jaiswal shone with the bat with a terrific 171 in his maiden innings while Ravichandran picked 12 wickets in the match as India took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. It was an easy outing for India and the players could be seen having fun on the field. After West Indies went nine down in the second innings India sensed a win was just a matter of time. But then their No.11 Jomel Warrican started hitting with some unusual shots. Seeing that Kohli could not hide his laughter and was caught on the stump mic saying, "Ye Kaun si batting kar raha hai (what kind of batting is this?"

Ashwin and Jaiswal stand out in innings win for India in first West Indies Test

India completed an innings victory inside three days against the West Indies in the first Test in Roseau, highlighting the gulf between the sides.

"Just The Start...": Yashasvi Jaiswal Declares After Best Debut Performance In West Indies

Young India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal said the journey so far has been long and arduous for him and the "Player of the Match" award in his debut Test was "just the start" of many more future success stories. Jaiswal showed in the first Test against the West Indies here that he belongs to the highest level, with the southpaw scoring 171 runs on debut and sharing a 229-run partnership with skipper Rohit Sharma.

Ravichandran Ashwin routs West Indies as India earns innings win in Dominica Test

ROSEAU, Dominica: Ravichandran Ashwin feasted on West Indies wickets on a generous turning pitch to propel India to victory by an innings and 141 runs inside three days of the first Test on Friday.

Ravichandran Ashwin bags 12 wickets in match as India crush West Indies in first Test in Dominica

India wrapped up victory by an innings and 141 runs as West Indies were blown away in the first Test in Dominica. West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and elected to bat first, but it was downhill from that moment as India outclassed his side with bat and ball. Ad After moving into a position of strength during the second session on day three, India captain Rohit Sharma declared to give his bowlers the chance to close out a win inside three days.