West Indies captain Roston Chase won the toss and chose to bat first against India in the opening Test of their two-match series at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday. This high-stakes clash kicks off the India vs West Indies Test series, drawing cricket fans worldwide to the massive venue.
For India, it’s a historic moment—their first home Test without stars Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, or Ravichandran Ashwin since 2010. Young gun Shubman Gill leads the side in his debut home Test as captain, bringing fresh energy to the team.
Chase explained his strategy for the West Indies lineup, opting for two seamers, two spinners, and an all-rounder to tackle the conditions. The team welcomes two exciting debutants: left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and fast bowler Johann Layne. "The pitch looks good, but there’s some moisture underneath," Chase said. "It’s Test cricket, so we need to navigate those early hours carefully. We’re a young squad ready to play positive cricket. We definitely don’t want to bat last here—it’ll start turning later."
Gill, unfazed by the toss loss, shared his thoughts on India’s attack. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj lead the pace, backed by spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy adds depth with his seam bowling. "We’ve got four home Tests lined up by year’s end, and we aim to win them all," Gill noted. "Our preparation has been solid—everyone’s in top form. Time to switch to that red-ball mindset. The surface seems excellent, and I’m not bummed about fielding first; it’s been under covers, so there could be early swing for our bowlers."
Here’s how the teams stack up for this India vs West Indies Test opener:
India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
West Indies XI: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wicketkeeper), Roston Chase (captain), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Jayden Seales.
Cricket enthusiasts can expect a thrilling battle as both sides eye a strong start in this Test cricket showdown.
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