India Seek To Double Test Championship Tally With Clean Sweep Against West Indies
India scored a massive 318-run win in the first Test with the West Indies and picked up 60 World Test Championship points.
- Posted by Tanya
- Updated: August 29, 2019 03:21 PM IST
Highlights
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India outplayed the West Indies in all departments at Antigua
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The second Test begins at the Sabina Park in Jamaica on Friday
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Hanuma Vihari justified his selection with a 93 in the second innings
India outplayed the West Indies in all departments to record a massive 318-run win in the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday. With 60 World Test Championship points in the bag, India will now be seeking to double that tally and a clean sweep of the series when the second Test begins at the Sabina Park in Jamaica on Friday. Rishabh Pant will be desperate to pay back the faith reposed in him by the team management and Jasprit Bumrah will once again lead the devastating fast bowling unit.
India are runaway favourites going into the second and final match against a team that neither showed the resolve nor the aptitude required to put up a sustained fight in five-day cricket.
"The conditions here are good and the pitch also looks good. We are expecting another good performance," bowling coach Bharat Arun said on Wednesday.
It is unlikely that India will be tinkering with their playing XI after a big win even though Pant's form has been a bit of a concern of late.
More than the runs scored, it is the manner of his dismissals that is causing frustration.
His sequence of scores across formats during this current tour has been 0, 4, 65 not out, 20, 0, 24, 7.
Opener Mayank Agarwal wasn't in his elements in the first Test but it is expected that he would get another opportunity, which he rightfully deserves having worked hard in Australia.
The Indian middle-order performed admirably with Ajinkya Rahane back in form with an under-pressure half-century and a century.
Hanuma Vihari also justified his selection with a 93 in the second innings, meaning that Rohit Sharma's wait to make the side could just get a bit longer. However, Agarwal would be on his toes.
He may not get too many opportunities if the team management decides to fit in an impact player like Rohit at the top of the order alongside KL Rahul in the coming Test series against South Africa at home.
While Rohit's technique against the moving red ball is a bit suspect but in the sub-continent, he could prove to be a handful.
The pace bowling was near flawless in the first game with Ishant and Bumrah looking menacing with five-wicket hauls each. Even Mohammed Shami was very effective in short bursts while Ravindra Jadeja proved his utility as an all-rounder.
"Any seamer are at their best when they are getting wickets. The five-wicket haul for both (Ishant and Bumrah) of them will give them tremendous confidence. Also, Shami looked good whenever he was given the ball and it augurs well for the team," Arun said.
For the West Indies, there hasn't been much to write home about as none of their players even got a half-century in two innings.
Talented players like Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope didn't measure up while the normally dependable Roston Chase also looked out of sorts in the second innings.
The only saving grace for them was the new ball pair of Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach, who bowled their hearts out without much support from others.
Teams:
India: Virat Kohli (capt), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
West Indies: Jason Holder (capt), Kraigg Braithwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rakheem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope (wk), Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach.
Match Starts at 8 pm IST.
(With PTI inputs)