Post by : Mumtaaz
Qadiri
India have won the toss and elected to bat first in the second and final Test match against the West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday. The hosts remain unchanged from their previous match and aim to continue their dominant form after a massive win in the first Test.
India currently lead the two-match Test series 1-0 after thrashing the West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in the first Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Shubman Gill’s Confident Start as Captain
Shubman Gill, who is leading India for the first time in a Test series, finally tasted success at the toss. Speaking after the toss, he explained the reason behind choosing to bat first. “The wicket looks good to bat on day one. We want to pile on the runs,” Gill said confidently.
The young captain highlighted that his team’s focus is on maintaining consistency and intensity throughout the match. “To be able to repeat performances and have the same intensity in every game is what we are trying to do. That’s the goal for this Test too,” he added.
Gill also shared his thoughts about adapting to the new leadership role, saying, “Honestly, not much has changed. I’m still the same person, but I do have more responsibilities now. I enjoy the challenge, and it’s an exciting journey ahead.”
West Indies Make Two Changes
The West Indies made two changes to their playing XI for the second Test. Anderson Phillip and Tevin Imlach have replaced Brandon King and Johann Layne. Captain Roston Chase said these changes were made based on pitch conditions and the players’ skill sets.
“Phillip is very effective with the new ball and can make early breakthroughs. Imlach, on the other hand, is used to playing on these types of pitches and plays spin well,” Chase explained.
He added that the West Indies had learned from their mistakes in the previous match and aimed to play with more patience. “We’d have batted first too, but it’s fine. We had deep discussions about our batting. Our goal is to play all 90 overs and respect every delivery,” he said.
Pitch Expected to Help Spinners
According to former cricketer Ian Bishop, the pitch in Delhi is expected to provide a mix of challenges for both batters and bowlers. He described it as a “pitch of two halves” with grassy patches helping seamers early on and dry areas expected to assist spinners later in the game.
Commentator Deep Dasgupta added that the pitch might behave inconsistently due to its mixed nature. “It looks patchy and could be two-paced. Batting early may be easier before spinners come into play,” he noted.
Playing XIs for Both Teams
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
West Indies: John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope, Roston Chase (captain), Tevin Imlach (wk), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales
India Aim for Clean Sweep
After their dominant win in the first Test, India will look to complete a clean sweep over the West Indies. The team’s combination remains unchanged, showing the management’s confidence in the current playing XI.
The spotlight will again be on India’s strong bowling unit led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, while the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja is expected to play a big role as the pitch wears down.
West Indies, meanwhile, will be aiming to put up a stronger fight by focusing on batting longer sessions and handling spin better.
As the match begins under sunny conditions in Delhi, all eyes are on Shubman Gill’s men to see if they can continue their fine run and close out the series with another emphatic win.
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