India step into unknown during West Indies Test series

World Test Championship finalists India are at a crossroads in their red-ball journey and the upcoming series against the West Indies should provide answers to a number of key questions.

India's Test team has witnessed a discernible drop in performance, especially after fitness issues to key players. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant formed the backbone of the team but long-term injuries to both, plus the unavailability of many core team players over the past two seasons, has resulted in inconsistent results.

Now, they will be without Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara, with young batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad entrusted with taking team forward, along with Shubman Gill.

Captain Rohit Sharma, 36, and Virat Kohli, 34, are also nearing the twilight of their careers, which means the next cycle of Indian cricket has more or less begun.

The bowling line-up is a bigger issue, though. India have decided to rest Mohammad Shami, with fellow veterans Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav no longer in the reckoning.

That has left Mohammad Siraj, who has played 19 Tests, as the leader of an inexperienced pace attack that includes Jaydev Unadkat and Navdeep Saini, who have played two Tests each, and the uncapped Mukesh Sharma.

India will therefore need significant contributions from their batsmen when the first Test begins in Roseau on Wednesday.

The two-Test series will also allow Rohit's team to move past their loss to Australia in the World Test Championship final last month.

While they remain the world's top-ranked Test team, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane said there would be no complacency against a West Indies side who beat England in successive home series.

"We, as a team, respect West Indies.