West Indies Caught in India’s Dominance: Highlights and Positives from Test Series Loss
India’s dominance over the West Indies was on full display during their recent Test series. With a comprehensive victory in the first Test and a rain-affected draw in the second, India sealed a 1-0 series win. The gap between the two sides was evident throughout, as India asserted their dominance while the hosts struggled to keep up.
In the first Test, India showcased their superiority with an incredible innings and 141-run victory. The West Indies were constantly playing catch-up, unable to match India’s performance. However, amidst the West Indies’ series loss, there were a few positives to take away. Let’s explore three key highlights from their 1-0 series defeat against India.
One standout positive for the West Indies was the Test debut of Alick Athanaze. The talented left-hander impressed everyone with his temperament and ability to adapt to the challenging conditions. Despite the dominance of Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Athanaze batted sensibly and played according to merit, top-scoring for his team with 47 in his debut innings. Additionally, his right-arm off-spin provided an extra dimension to his game, as he broke the deadlock by dismissing Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
While Athanaze’s bowling may still be considered part-time, his batting credentials make him one to watch for the West Indies in the future.
The West Indies’ batters struggled against the Indian bowling attack, particularly Ashwin, in the first Test. Scoring only 150 and 130 across both innings was a disappointment for the hosts and a first-ever instance where they failed to reach 300 runs against India.
However, in the second Test, the West Indies displayed resilience and fought back. Despite a challenging pitch in Trinidad, skipper Kraigg Brathwaite’s valiant effort of 75 runs highlighted their determination. They batted for a substantial 115.4 overs, surpassing their combined innings total in Dominica.
The top order, in particular, showcased resistance and forced the Indian bowlers to reconsider their strategies. With contributions from the middle and lower order, the West Indies had a chance of approaching India’s first-innings score. Unfortunately, Mohammed Siraj’s inspired spell on Day 4, resulting in a five-wicket haul, limited the hosts to 255 in their first innings.
Despite trailing India significantly, the fight shown by the West Indies’ batters was a positive takeaway from the series.
While the Indian batters largely dominated the Caribbean bowling attack, there was a brief period during the second session of Day 1 in Trinidad where the Windies’ bowlers displayed some menace. Breaking the opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened an avenue for the West Indies to make a comeback. The hosts claimed regular breakthroughs and posed a challenge for the Indian batting unit.
Although the West Indies were unable to build on this moment and India eventually turned the match around with Virat Kohli’s century, their ability to briefly unsettle India’s strong batting lineup was noteworthy.
In conclusion, India’s dominance was evident throughout the Test series against the West Indies. While the hosts were left playing catch-up, there were a few positives for the West Indies to take away. Alick Athanaze’s debut performance, the team’s resilience in the second Test, and the brief period of challenging the Indian batting lineup were highlights amidst their series loss. As the West Indies look ahead, these positives provide hope for their progress in the future.
