IND vs WI: What India exactly gained from the Test series?

Rarely does it happen in world cricket that a match featuring the Indian cricket team isn’t the talk of the town. It wasn’t the recently-concluded Test series between India and West Indies in the Caribbean Islands that dominated the headlines in the last few days, it was the Ashes 2023.

While the ongoing Test series between England and Australia has garnered attention for its controversies and edge-of-the-seat cricket, India’s assignment in West Indies would have left a few yawning at the action.

The Test series ended on Monday night with India winning the Test series 1-0 as the second match in Trinidad finished as a draw after rain washed out Day 5 action.

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Dull as the action may have been, the significance of the Test series should not be lost on you. With teams now playing for the World Test Championship (WTC) title, every Test offers an opportunity to inch close to the WTC final as long as you are alive in the race.

In that context, India garnered 16 points from the series; 12 for winning the first Test by an innings and 141 runs and four for a draw in the second.

Rohit Sharma-led India would have aimed to bag full 24 points in their first series of the WTC 2023-25 cycle but rain played spoilsport. More importantly, the draw has brought down India’s percentage of points (PCT) won to 66.67. PCT is what will decide the finalists at the end of the cycle.

The West Indies Test series also brought an end to India’s long-format assignment for the time being. India’s next Test series will be in South Africa which will start in December 2023, after the ODI World Cup in October-November. In 2024, India are also scheduled to face England at home and Australia away.

The Future Tours Programme only adds more weight to India’s Test series against West Indies.

Yes, of course, the current West Indies is a far cry from what they used to be in the past. Yes, of course, a few sessions appeared drabbed and dragged. But it was a crucial series from India’s perspective, not only looking at the next WTC final, but also because of the last WTC final defeat.

Yashasvi makes a mark

India’s defeat to Australia in the summit clash last month raised demands for transition and the small changes came in the shape of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan making their debuts on the tour.

And if you look from their perspective and that of the teams’, it was a hugely significant test in which Team India came out with flying colours.

For Yashasvi, the boy who once slept empty stomach in tents in Azad Maidan, the West Indies tour would remain the most memorable, where he achieved the dream of playing for India. And what a start he got, making a century on his international debut, breaking the record for most balls consumed by an Indian Test debutant and finishing the series with 266 runs (highest run-getter in the Test series).

The stats are impressive but the manner in which took the challenge head-on is even more stunning.

At Dominica, on a slow and turning track, debutant Jaiswal showed maturity beyond his age to become the 17the Indian batter to bring up a century on his Test debut. It took 215 balls, for the batter with over 160 strike rate in IPL 2023, to get to the three-figure marks in the first Test.

In the second Test at Queen’s Park Oval, Jaiswal scored 57 and 38. The second innings came at a strike rate of 126.66. Just when India needed him to switch gears, he did that with aplomb. What happens in the future is a mystery but on the basis of what we have seen so far, Yashasvi looks ready for international cricket.

Kishan sizzles

‘Bazball’ is the buzzword in world cricket currently and India produced their own version of aggressive cricket in the second innings of the second Test. With flat pitch and rain threatening India’s quest for full WTC points, Rohit and Co went berserk from word go, scoring 181/2 in just 24 overs. India captain Rohit slammed 57 at a strike rate of 130, but the major push came from Ishan Kishan who scored a quickfire 52 not out at a strike rate of 153.

He was promoted to No 4, ahead of Virat Kohli and lived up to his billing.

Maybe it was an X-factor that India missed in the WTC final, someone who can take the game away from the opposition in a jiffy. Rishabh Pant plays that role for India but his injuries due to a car accident had made a dent in Team India’s batting.

Kishan with his brief opportunities showed that he can be trusted to do that job even if Pant fails to return for South Africa tour. Add to this, his glovework was also satisfactory in the Test series.

Ashwin roars and Siraj impresses

The first Test at Windsor Park got over within three days, thanks to Ravichandran Ashwin who took 12 wickets in the match.

Ashwin leading India to a victory and taking a 10-wicket haul is nothing new but his performance, straight after the WTC final snub, had an underlying message to the management.

It was another reminder that he remains India’s biggest match-winner of this era.

Also, while India had their senior spinners on the tour, the experienced pacers were missing. With Jasprit Bumrah still recovering from back surgery and Mohammed Shami given a rest, Mohammed Siraj took over the responsibility of leading the pace attack and his best came out on a flat track in Port of Spain.

It was rain that forced a draw in the second Test but India did all they could to get the full 12 WTC points from the match. Before going all guns blazing with the bat in the second innings. it was Siraj’s fifer in the first innings that helped India push West Indies into a corner.

“Siraj, I have been watching closely. He’s taken such a giant step. He has led this attack” —these were the exact words from Rohit Sharma after the Test series ended and that speaks volumes about the pacer.

On a batting-friendly track that was criticised by India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, Siraj showed that he has the skill and guts to be the bowler in difficult conditions.