cricket

Updated: Aug 22, 2019 08:11 IST

Rain played a major role in the limited overs series between India and West Indies and ahead of the first Test encounter in Antigua, fans are once again concerned about how the weather will affect the playing conditions. There were stoppages during the T20I series while the first ODI was deemed as a no result. Even in the second ODI in Port of Spain, there was a rain delay and West Indies were given a reduced target to chase against India.

However, as per Accuweather, there is some good news for the cricket fans. There is no prediction of rain on Day 1 of the match and it is expected to be mostly sunny during the time of play. There is a 40% chance of rain during 9am in the morning but it goes down as the day progresses.

India look set to extend their decade-long dominance over West Indies when the first match of a two-Test series starts at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here Thursday.

Having swept the T20 series 3-0 and taken the ODI contest 2-0, Virat Kohli’s India are bursting with confidence going into their first Test match since the historic series triumph in Australia at the start of the year.

In contrast, the West Indies have gone off the boil since dominating England in the home series in the Caribbean six months ago and then going toe-to-toe with the same opponents in the subsequent ODI series.

A whitewash in the tour-ending T20 skirmish, followed by the removal of controversial head coach Richard Pybus and a disappointing World Cup campaign has left Jason Holder’s men with much lost ground to reclaim.

READ: ‘Pakistan me kuch bhi hota hai’: Sehwag on Sreesanth-Amir comparisons

For India Chesteshwar Pujara, who reeled off three centuries in the four Tests in Australia, has already picked up from where he left off Down Under in notching up three figures in the lone warm-up fixture against a regional representative team last weekend.

Spinner Ravi Ashwin, ‘Man of the Series’ when India dominated the home side in the Caribbean three years ago, could find himself on the sidelines with Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav seen as the prime contenders for the specialist spinner’s role.

(With agency inputs)