11 July,2023 08:23 PM IST | Mumbai | Rohan Koli
Team India prepares for the upcoming India vs West Indies Test series (Pic: Twitter/BCCI)
Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag (right) shakes West Indian captain Brian Lara's hand at the end of the second Test at the Beausejour Stadium in Gros Islet on June 14, 2006. PIC/AFP
THE first Test played at St John's, Antigua, produced a thrilling Day Five as West Indies avoided defeat by just one wicket. Chasing 392, WI were reduced to 297 before the last wicket pair of Fidel Edwards and Corey Collymore survived 19 balls. The second Test at St Lucia saw India propel to 588-8 declared thanks to a quickfire 180 off 190 balls from opener Virender Sehwag, 146 from skipper Rahul Dravid and an unbeaten 148 from Mohammad Kaif. In reply, pacer Munaf Patel, leggie Anil Kumble and part-time spinner Sehwag claimed three wickets each to bowl out WI for 215. Following on, the luck was with the hosts as no play was possible on Day Four due to rain. Skipper Brian Lara's patient 120 took WI to 294-7, thus helping them save the game on the final day. The third Test at St Kitts was another drawn affair. However, this time, the hosts put up a solid show, with the top-order batsmen helping the team propel to 581. Chasing 392 on the final day, the visitors managed 298-4. The Indians finally tasted victory in the fourth and last Test at Jamaica. Batting first, the visitors didn't start the game on a positive note losing openers Wasim Jaffer and Sehwag with just three runs on the board, later they were bundled out for just 200 despite a fighting show by skipper Dravid and Kumble. WI managed just 103 in reply, thanks to a five-wicket haul by offie Harbhajan Singh. India scored 171 in the second essay to set up a 269-run target. However, the hosts fell short by 49 runs as Dravid & Co created history by winning their Test series in the Caribbean Island after 35 years.
Indian cricket team captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (right) celebrates taking a catch to dismiss West Indies batsman Kirk Edwards during the third and final Test at Windsor Park Stadium in Dominica on July 6, 2011. PIC/AFP
INDIA, who were playing their first Test series months after winning the ODI World Cup, went into the three-match series without the likes of batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag. The first Test, played at Kingston, saw India beat West Indies by 63 runs in a low-scoring encounter. Batting first, India were reduced to 85-6 before Suresh Raina (82) and Harbhajan Singh (70) shared a 146-run stand to rescue the visitors to 246 all out. In reply, WI were bowled out for 173. India scored 252 in the second innings to set a 326-run target for the hosts. WI, in reply, were going strong at 131-3 at the end of Day Three. But the hosts had a sorry Day Four as they lost six out of the seven remaining wickets in the morning session as India registered their fifth Test win in the Caribbean Island.
The second Test at Bridgetown ended in a draw despite a low-scoring affair, as the last four days were married by rain intervals. The third and final Test at Dominica, too, ended in a shocking draw. Chasing 180 on the final day, the Indians were criticised for not going for an outright victory as they could just manage 94-3 after 32 overs. If not for rain intervals in the last two Test matches, MS Dhoni & Co were all set for their maiden series sweep in the Caribbean.
Virat Kohli walks off the field after Day Four of the Antigua Test against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in St John's, Antigua. PIC/AFP
India opened the series at Antigua handsomely with a commanding innings and 92 run-win. Thanks to a double century by skipper Kohli and 113 by low-order batsman Ravichandran Ashwin, India ended up scoring 566-8 declared. In reply, the hosts were dismissed for 243 after four wickets each by pacers Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami. Following on, WI were blown away by Ashwin's seven-wicket haul, managing a mere 231 all out. The second Test at Jamaica ended in a draw despite India dominating the game with rain affecting Day Three and Four. The third game at St Lucia saw Kohli's men thrash Jason Holder & Co by 237 runs to win the series 2-0, despite no play possible on Day Three. Centuries by Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha propelled India to 353. WI, in reply, scored 225 all out, thanks to a fifer from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. India, in their second essay, declared the innings at 217-7 to set a 346-run target. WI, however, failed to chase the target yet again, surrendering at 108 all out. To everyone's surprise, the fourth Test witnessed just 22 overs being bowled - all on Day One. No play was possible on Day Two, Three, Four and Five.
India players celebrate after winning the two-match Test series 2-0 against West Indies at Jamaica in 2019. PIC/AFP
KOHLI'S men displayed another extraordinary performance to beat the Caribbean side by 318 runs and 257 runs - in the first and second Test respectively for a 2-0 series win. It was the same old story for the Caribbean side in the first Test at Antigua.
India, batting first, scored 297 after patient 81 by Ajinkya Rahane. WI scored 222 in the first innings, thanks to a five-wicket haul by pacer Ishant Sharma. Ton-up Rahane carried his form into the second essay to take India to 343-7 declared. Chasing a mammoth 419, WI surrendered to Jasprit Burmah's pace on the fourth day, falling for 100 all out. The second Test at Jamaica saw India put up another solid show to score 416 all out, this time Hanuma Vihari shining with the bat, scoring a patient 111. Holder's men once again came up with a below-par score to get dismissed for 117 all out, courtesy a hat-trick by Bumrah. The second innings saw the visitors declaring at 168-4 to set up a 468-run target. This time the Caribbean side were all out for 210, thus falling short by 257 runs.
