Former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara watches Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s son Teganarine batting throughout internet apply, in Dominica on July 9, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
India’s newest quest for an elusive World Test Championship title will get below means on Wednesday within the lush tropical setting of Windsor Park Stadium in Dominica towards a West Indies staff anticipated to wrestle to deal with the formidable problem offered by the guests within the two-match sequence.
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 yr, the Caribbean cricket neighborhood is unlikely to search out solace within the form of Kraigg Brathwaite’s aspect in searching for to finish a barren run of 21 years with no single Test match victory towards the Indians.
This temporary sequence, which ends in Trinidad the next week in what would be the a hundredth Test between the 2 groups, marks the beginning of the subsequent two-year WTC cycle resulting in the ultimate in 2025.
Beaten by New Zealand within the inaugural remaining in 2021 after which outplayed by Australia within the 2023 decider simply 4 weeks in the past, Rohit Sharma’s staff is prone to present not more than three adjustments from the aspect that misplaced the brand new Test cricket showpiece by 209 runs at The Oval in London.
With veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara dropped and pacer Mohammed Shami rested, there are actually alternatives for both of the uncapped Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ruturaj Gaikwad to make the quantity three spot their very own whereas will probably be a toss-up between Jaydev Unadkat and Navdeep Saini to fill the breach within the quick bowling division.
Spinning all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, unfortunate to have been omitted from final month’s duel with Australia, ought to have the prospect so as to add to his already spectacular file towards the West Indies.
In 11 Tests towards these opponents he has taken 60 wickets and compiled 4 of his 5 Test centuries in averaging simply over 50 with the bat.
As disconsolate as they could be by the West Indies’ failure to advance to the World Cup, followers in Dominica are anticipating that certainly one of their very own, 24-year-old Alick Athanaze, will make his Test debut within the sequence opener within the middle-order rather than fellow left-hander Kyle Mayers.
While Mayers has been dominated out of competition on account of niggling accidents, two different gamers who had been a part of the West Indies’ abysmal World Cup qualifying marketing campaign in Zimbawe over the earlier three weeks – all-rounder Jason Holder and quick bowler Alzarri Joseph – are anticipated to shoulder a lot of the duty to quell the specter of a formidable Indian batting line-up.
Senior pacer Kemar Roach will nonetheless lead the assault although, whereas the choice on whether or not or to not go along with two specialist spinners in Jomel Warrican and the recalled Rahkeem Cornwall or go for the uncooked tempo however questionable health of Shannon Gabriel will probably be decided by the looks of the pitch on Wednesday morning.
Windsor Park has usually provided little encouragement for quick bowlers over time however there is a component of the unknown this time round because the venue is internet hosting its first Test since Pakistan’s historic series-clinching triumph in 2017.
Notwithstanding their apparent underdog standing and particularly issues concerning the means of the batting line up to deal with the Indian assault, West Indies batting legend Brian Lara — the efficiency mentor for the staff — is hopeful that the house aspect, and notably the youthful, inexperienced gamers, can supply greater than a glimmer of encouragement at time of widespread cricketing gloom within the area.
“It may take some time but obviously as an international cricketer if you are at this stage, it doesn’t matter what age you’re at, you’ve got to learn very, very quickly and I think they have that sort of attitude to learn and are willing to listen,” mentioned Lara over the weekend in summing up what he has seen up to now of Athanaze and one other uncapped batsman within the 13-man squad, 22-year-old Kirk McKenzie.
Following the Tests, each squads will then endure important personnel adjustments for the white ball codecs which contain three One-Day Internationals and a five-match sequence of T20 Internationals with the ultimate two fixtures to be performed at Lauderhill, Florida within the United States.
Teams (possible)
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Alick Athanaze, Jermaine Blackwood, Jason Holder, Joshua da Silva (wkpr), Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican
India: Rohit Sharman (capt), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ajay Jadeja, Srikar Bharat (wkpr), Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Jaydev Unadkat
Source: www.thehindu.com
