India will return to the cricket pitch after their embarrassing 209-run defeat to Australia in the ICC World Test Championship 2023 last month and will target an easy win against struggling West Indies in the first Test match at Windsor Park in Dominica starting on July 12. West Indies suffered a shock exit from the ICC World Cup Qualifier 2023 and will now turn their focus to red-ball cricket with a two-match series at home.
Rohit Sharma-led side is set to hand a maiden Test cap to Yashasvi Jaiswal while pacer Mukesh Kumar is also expected to make his international debut. West Indies have included uncapped batter Alick Athanaze in their team while spin all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall is returning to Test cricket after a gap of 19 months.
Match Details
Match: First Test
Venue: Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica
Date & Time: From July 12 to July 16, 10:00 AM Local (Dominica), 07:30 PM IST
Broadcast and Live Streaming: JioCinema website and app
WI vs IND Probable Playing XIs
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Alick Althanaze, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar
WI vs IND Head-to-head record:
India remain unbeaten in Tests against West Indies since 2002 and have won four of their last five overall Test encounters against West Indies. At Windsor Park, West Indies have won only once in five Test matches played so far.
However, West Indies lead the head-to-head record against India with 30 wins in 98 Test matches played. Compared to the hosts, India has recorded only 22 wins, including nine in West Indies.
Overall Test matches played - 98 | West Indies Won - 30 | India Won - 22 | Drawn - 46
Test matches played in West Indies - 51 | West Indies Won - 16 | India Won - 9 | Drawn - 26
Pitch Report
The pitch at Dominica's Windsor Park offers a balanced surface in red-ball cricket. The pitch is expected to produce a good turn on the ball for spinners while pacers can expect extra bounce with a new ball. However, there is weather forecast for rain on Day 1 so fans can expect further help for the bowlers in the first match.
WI vs IND Predictions
Best Batter of the Match: Ajinkya Rahane
The in-form Indian batter has staggering numbers in Tests against West Indies. He has scored 635 runs in just eight Tests at an average of 90.71 with two hundreds and four fifties and the average boosts past 100 while playing in West Indies. Rahane was India's highest run-getter in WTC final 2023 against Australia with 89 & 46 scores at The Oval and will be looking to continue his form on the West Indies tour.
Best Bowler of the Match: Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin is set to return to playing eleven after missing the WTC final. The world no.1 Test bowler is only three wickets shy of completing 700 international wickets and has impressive records while playing in West Indies. Apart from his four Test centuries against West Indies, he has taken 60 wickets in 11 Tests played against West Indies at an average of 21.85 and has taken 17 wickets in just four matches played in the Caribbean nation.
Who will win the Match: India (IND)
