India vs West Indies: All You Need to Know Ahead of The First Test in Antigua
India eye a winning start to their campaign in the West Indies when they take on the hosts at Antigua. A win on Caribbean soil will prepare them for the gruelling Test schedule at home in the next eight months
India kick-start their four Test Caribbean tour in Antigua. Virat Kohli will be leading the side in West Indies for the first time. It will also be Anil Kumble's first Test as the coach of the Indian team.
Inexperienced West Indies
With no Jerome Taylor (retired) and Kemar Roach (dropped), the West Indies bowling is a far cry from their famous fast bowling attacks of the past. Devoid of any express pace, and a combined test experience of 31 tests and 56 wickets to their name, the current bunch led by skipper Jason Holder is unlikely to give any Indian batsman sleepless nights.
The West Indian batting doesn't fare any better. Marlon Samuel, the most experienced batman in the squad has only two hundreds to his name in the last three years with an average of 25 in that period.
Jason Holder, West Indian captain: "I think what motivates this young group is that everyone is trying to make a mark on international scene. You know there is a rich legacy in West Indies cricket. Many of the young players are looking to make a legacy for themselves."
One player in the West Indies Test squad that India will fear? #IndvWI
- CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) July 20, 2016
India's likely XI
Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami
Virat Kohli: "I am always in the favour of playing five bowlers because if we play more batsmen, you can score 700 runs in a Test but that doesn't help in any way. You need to take 20 wickets to win a Test match. So our top five batsmen plus the wicketkeeper will have to take responsibility and raise a big score so that we can bowl them out twice"
Telling Stat
West Indies haven't been able to beat India in the last 15 attempts. In fact, India is the only team West Indies haven't beaten in a test since Oct 2002.
Chances of Winning
(Bookmakers Odds)
India: 55 %
Draw: 33 %
West Indies: 12 %
Pitch
Virat Kohli: "It's not as hard as some other surfaces here. It is no different from what we get back a home. So I think it will be a decent batting wicket. Not much bounce"
MS Dhoni: "What we have seen over the years is that the West Indian wickets have slowed down, which means the spinners will have a major role in the series,"
Jason Holder: "Yeah the wickets have died down significantly. If you see series in the recent past, you see a lot of slow turning tracks"
Chances of Rain in Antigua
Thursday: 67%
Friday: 72%
Saturday: 48 %
Sunday: 46%
Monday: 38%
From The History Pages
Life would have come a full-circle for Coach Anil Kumble as fourteen years ago on the same island (not the same ground since the famous Antigua Recreation Ground has made way for the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium which was built in 2007) the leg-spinner performed a miraculous feat of bowling with a broken jaw. The image of Anil Kumble bowling, and claiming the prized wicked of Brian Lara, with a bandaged head is one of the most iconic images of Indian cricket. It was yet another proof of Kumble's fighting spirit; something that the former India captain displayed overtime he walked onto the cricket field.
© AFP
Series Schedule
First Test: Jul 21- Jul 25, Antigua (19:30 IST)
Second Test: Jul 30- Aug 3, Jamaica (20:30 IST)
Third Test: Aug 9- Aug 13, St Lucia (19:30 IST)
Fourth Test: Aug 18- Aug 22, Trinidad (19:30 IST)