West Indies vs India, second test is set to begin on July 20, after winning the first test match by an innings and 141 runs, India is looking the favourites to win this test series after a clinical performance in the last test.
The second test will be played at the iconic Queen’s Park Oval Stadium in Port of Spain. The pitch generally offers pace and bounce for the fast bowlers and as the game progresses, spinners also come into play. It is a good pitch for batters as well, who have solid technique and composure and can score well on this venue.
This will be the 100th Test Match between West Indies and India with India now leading the head-to-head 31-22. Both teams will try to make this test match memorable for them. For India, both the openers came up after scoring a century in the previous test. Particularly, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who showed great resilience and perseverance in his debut test match.
On the other hand, the West Indies team failed in every department. Neither their batters were able to perform nor the bowlers were up to the mark. The only positive sign for the West Indies was their 24-year-old left-hander, Alick Athanaze, who made an impressive debut with bat and ball in Dominica.
Spin-Fast Pitches: A Test of Skill Amidst Twists and Turns
The Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain Trinidad pitch has always featured extreme competition. The pacers, spinners, and batters can all get appropriate support from the pitch. The batters will be drawn to the track because of its consistent bounce. They can play their strokes adequately based on the surface bounce. Whereas, the track provides assistance to fast bowlers, having an average of around 25 and an economy rate of 3 runs per over.
The venue is quite useful for the spinners as well, the ball starts spinning from the second day itself, and break bowlers have an average of around 35 and a terrific economy rate of just 2.5 runs per over. Overall, the conditions will be equally good for everyone. If batters play with grit and determination, they will enjoy batting on this surface. Whereas, fast bowlers can swing upfront with the new ball in hand, and spinners will come into play as the game progresses.
Second Test Stars: Players to Keep an Eye On
Ravichandran Ashwin – It is impossible to look past Ashwin, the way he bowled in the last match and grabbed 12 wickets, definitely he will be the player who can have a major impact in this test match. Ashwin excels in every area when it comes to Tests. Due to his reliable batting abilities and capacity for creating efficient turns with the ball.
Kraigg Brathwaite – West Indian captain, Kraigg Brathwaite was unable to score in the last match but he will be eager to lead from the front and to end the series 1-1. He has the potential to score big runs and has done so in the past.
Conclusion
India are the potential favourites to win the test match but we can never rule out the West Indian team. A lot will depend on how the West Indian batters will play Indian bowlers, particularly the combo of Ashwin and Jadeja. An exciting challenge and everyone will be expecting the West Indies to give a tough fight to India.