cricket

Updated: Aug 30, 2019 08:16 IST

After registering a record-breaking victory in the first Test, Team India will try to seal the series when they take on West Indies in the second match beginning Friday at the historic Sabina Park. India clinched a 318-run win -- their largest overseas victory in terms of run -- in the first Test in Antigua and began their World Test Championship campaign in style.

The visitors seem to have all their bases covered, having arguably the most well-rounded attack in world cricket at the moment. All the three seamers -- Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami -- were among the wickets in Antigua which has been the case now for quite some time. Also, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja played the role of supporting spinner superbly. Besides picking up wickets, he also contributed with crucial runs in the first innings and showed why he is such an integral member of the team in all the three formats of the game.

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However, what would have pleased skipper Virat Kohli most was the return to form of his deputy Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 183 runs in the game, and middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari who played a grinding second-inning knock of 93.

For West Indies, it was another batting collapse which saw them getting bundled out for a paltry 100 in the second innings. The batting, which has been a problem for the Caribbean team in all the three formats, has undone a lot of the good work put in by a resurgent pace unit and has been responsible for some inexplicable defeats.

And if the Jason Holder-led side are to bounce back and level the series, the mantra is simple: Their batsmen need to come to the party, score runs and put the Indian batters under pressure.

Squads

West Indies: Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Braithwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rakheem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach.

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarwal, K.L. Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav.