In the first Test of a two-match series, India Smith of the West Indies will face a challenge today at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. These two teams have not played much cricket against each other in the Winters of the longest format in recent times. They are, for the first time since July 2023, testing each other while this is the first test tour of West Indies for India since 2018. The days of the Caribbean’s thundering spells in contributors of red-ball cricket are gone and exceedingly remote.
The West Indies have been one of the prime victims of India in Test cricket in the 21st century. Of 25 Test matches played, India has won 15 while 10 have been draws. India has been so dominating that in unarguably seven of these wins it was by an innings! The last time West Indies had ever beaten India in a Test Match was in May 2002 when they defeated India by 155 runs in Kingston.
West Indies have not won in India since 1994
Away from the home circuit, and the West Indies’ record gets dirtier, with not a single Test match won in India since 1994! It was in December 1994 at Mohali that the Caribbean side defeated India by 243 runs. The two teams have met in the Indian soil for 10 Test matches since and the Indian teams have won 8 therein while two were drawn.
Can West Indies shock their new look Indian teammates?
There is much to prove for Team India, whose proud unbeaten home record since 2012 came to an end in the last home season when an unfamiliar New Zealand defeated them 0-3. Since their arrival in the country, the West Indies have drawn much inspiration from that series. But, it will surely not be easy for them to surpass the new look Shubman Gill-led side that battled hard to a 2-2 finish to the 5-match series in England in August.
On top of it, West Indies will be arriving from a 0-3 series loss at home to Australia, which also included an innings 27 all-out in the final Test played with the pink ball.
