As Rohit Sharma & Co prepare for the Test series in the West Indies, mid-day recalls how the visitors steamrolled the hosts the last time the two teams played in the traditional format there
India's Ajinkya Rahane celebrates his century on Day 4 of the first Test against West Indies at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, on August 25, 2019. PIC/AFP
In 2019, India played two Tests in the West Indies and dominated both, clean sweeping the series 2-0. In the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua (August 22 to 26), West Indies skipper Jason Holder won the toss and put the visitors in. It seemed to be the perfect call as Team India's top order crumbled against the pace of Kemar Roach and Shanon Gabriel.
Opener Mayank Agarwal (5) was the first to fall, edging Roach to wicketkeeper Shai Hope in just the fifth over the day. In the same over, Cheteshwar Pujara (2) was dismissed in similar fashion, with the scoreboard reading 7-2. Skipper and No. 4 batter, Virat Kohli didn't last long either, struggling to deal with a short one from Gabriel and only managing to find Sharmarh Brooks at gully.
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At 25-3, India were in dire straits. However, a gritty 44 by opener KL Rahul followed by Ajinkya Rahane's 81 and Ravindra Jadeja's 58 saw the Indians post a decent 297 all out. Roach was the standout pacer with 4-66. In reply, it was the Windies's turn to bow to the pace of Ishant Sharma (5-43). The hosts managed 222 with top-scorer Chase missing his half-century by only a couple of runs.
The 75-run lead was good enough for the visitors to build on. And bolstered by a Kohli half-century (51) followed by a Rahane century (102) and a quickfire 93 by Hanuma Vihari, India piled up 343-7 before declaring.
The total of 418 was always going to be a tall order for the Windies batters. And predictably, they folded up for just 100 on Day 4, with Jasprit Bumrah (5-7) being the ace of pace this time as India won by a whopping 318 runs and Rahane was adjudged Player of the Match.
The second Test (August 30 to Sept 3) in Kingston, saw Holder win the toss again and bowl first again. But India seemed better prepared this time and did not lose early wickets in a heap. A half-ton by opener Agarwal (55) helped create a platform on which, first Kohli (76) and then Vihari (111) thrived. An unexpected 57 by Ishant Sharma saw India post a giant 416 all out. Holder was WI's best bowler with 5-77.
India's Hanuma Vihari celebrates his century on Day 2 of the second Test against West Indies at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica, on August 31, 2019. PIC/AFP
In their first innings, the hosts were poor again. This time they were bowled out for 117 with India's Bumrah (6-27) being the wrecker-in-chief. Surprisingly, the Indians didn't enforce the follow-on despite being 299 runs ahead. Instead, they batted quickly, and thanks to unbeaten half-centuries by both Rahane (64 not out) and Vihari (53 not out) they declared on 168-4, setting an improbably target of 468 runs. Once again and as expected, the Windies (201 all out) were dismissed for less than half the target and India emerged victorious by 257 runs. Vihari was aptly named Player of the Series.
This time round too India will be playing two Tests against the West Indies. The first Test is from July 12 to 17 at Windsor Park in Dominica while the second is from July 20 to 25 at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
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