IND vs WI: India began their entry into the new World Test championship with a thumping series win over West Indies in the Caribbean. India bagged the two-match Test series 1-0 after the rain played spoilsport in the second match in Port of Spain. The Men in Blue are in some transition phase as they gave opportunities to the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukes Kumar and Ishan Kishan, all of whom made their Test debuts in the two-match series. The absence of Cheteshwar Pujara, opened the number 3, which was filled by Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj showed once again his mettle to lead the pace pack.
The Indian team had a complete package ticked off from the series. The batters score heavy runs and the pacers complemented them well but there was control and patience shown in both departments. The first Test pitch witnessed a great amount of spin and Ravi Ashwin took the fruits from it. The second one was way flat but Mohammed Siraj rose to the occasion and put India into the driver's seat.
Here are all the key takeaways from the series
Yashasvi Jaiswal's dream debut: Rajasthan Royals batter Yashasvi Jaiswal got an India call-up after being in reserve for the World Test Championship final against Australia. It seemed that he would take Pujara's spot at number three, keeping the Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill pair intact. But Gill wanted to come down the order and pushed Jaiswal to the top in his debut series.
The Southpaw did not disappoint a bit and smashed a record 171 on his Test debut as he became only the third Indian opener to score a ton in the maiden appearance. The patience he showed, the skills and determination he displayed all but ensured many that he might be a long racehorse in the team.
Mukesh Kumar's control with the ball - Mukesh Kumar was another Indian to be handed a debut and he too made merry of the opportunity. The pacer might not have been big in the wicket-taking list but the way he controlled the proceedings spoke a lot of the experience he gained at Ranji level.
The 29-year-old took two wickets in the second Test but it was him that opened the floodgates on Day 4 before Mohammed Siraj ran riot. Mukesh found Windies batter Alick Athanaze in front of the wickets to give India the breakthrough they were eagerly waiting for with the new ball.
Mohammed Siraj's growth in stature - It was another series where Mohammed Siraj took his Test bowler's stature to bigger heights. On a flat track of the second Test in Port of Spain, Siraj ran through the Windies' middle and lower order on Day 4, a spell which realistically opened the doors for India to hunt for a win.
He has been one of the most reliable bowlers in recent times across formats and his career-best five-wicket haul in the absence of senior quicks ensured he is the best bet to lead India's pace attack in the future.
Ravichandran Ashwin's dominance and commonality - Ravichandran Ashwin's outing in the first Test match was another magical one for the Men in Blue. He was the chief destructor of the Windies line-up in the Dominica Test. The off-spinner picked 60%, i.e., 12 out of 20 wickets when there were five more bowlers with him. The surface had help for the spinners and he took full out of it.
Even in the second game, Ashwin picked three, including two in the second innings. The only wickets fallen in the second Windies innings were taken by Ashwin on Day 4 before rain spoiled the fifth day.
Veterans back among runs - The veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli smashed centuries in the Test series. Both the players played sedate knocks in the two Tests to bag centuries and belt some runs ahead of the upcoming ODIs and the Asia Cup 2023. They scored tons in the Border Gavaskar series too but were not among the big runs post that 2-1 win.
With India looking further to the South Africa series in December, the Indian team would want to pen some notes before they play the crucial overseas assignment and also look to make the final of the WTC 2023-25.
