India head coach Gautam Gambhir heaped praise on Shubman Gill's leadership following their 2-0 test series sweep against West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

The seven-wicket victory was the perfect birthday gift for Gambhir, who turned 44, at his home ground where the former India batter has a stand named after him.

Gill's captaincy received a baptism of fire when he led the side out for the first time in a five-match series in England, which India split 2-2 despite the test retirements of former skippers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

"I think he's already passed his toughest test as a test captain and that was in England," Gambhir said of Gill, who has since assumed the captaincy of the one-day squad as well.

"Five test matches over a course of two-and-a-half months, against a quality England side, against an intimidating batting lineup and leading an inexperienced Indian team. What more could he have faced?"

'TICKS ALL THE BOXES'

Gill amassed 754 runs in the five-test series in England, and struck his fifth test hundred of the year in the series finale against West Indies.

Gambhir said his only advice to Gill has been, "Just be himself".

"No one has done him a favour by appointing him the test and one-day captain. I think he deserves every bit of it.

"He's worked hard and he ticks all the boxes... what more can a coach ask for?" he added.

The 26-year-old enjoyed the respect of the dressing room, which includes several senior players, because of his form and approach to the game, Gambhir said.

Gill's West Indies counterpart Roston Chase said it was not all doom and gloom for his side, who were blanked 3-0 at home by Australia in their previous test series.

After suffering an innings defeat inside three days of the series opener in Ahmedabad and being made to follow-on in Delhi, the visitors batted well in the second innings with hundreds from John Campbell and Shai Hope helping them post 390 all out after nearly 119 overs.

"I think this is a stepping stone, a building step for us to go forward and improve as a test playing nation," said Chase.

"This is the performance that I think will give us the confidence and boost us in terms of that belief that we can do it against proper test playing nations."

Opener KL Rahul hit an unbeaten 58 as India beat the West Indies by seven wickets in the second test to sweep the series 2-0 on Tuesday.

Chasing 121 for victory, India resumed on 63 for one and reached their target in the first session after losing two wickets on day five at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.

West Indies skipper Roston Chase struck twice with his off-spin to send back overnight batter Sai Sudharsan for 39 and skipper Shubman Gill for 13.

Rahul hit the winning four and India celebrated victory over the visitors, who had launched a spirited fightback while following on.

India's left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav returned a match haul of eight wickets including 5-82 in the first West Indies innings.

Kuldeep claimed 12 wickets in the series followed by pace bowler Mohammed Siraj, who took 10 to be India's leading wicket-taker this year with 37 wickets in eight matches.

India remain a team in transition under 26-year-old Gill, after the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Gill's India won the opening test by an innings and 140 runs, having secured a thrilling 2-2 draw in their five-test series in England in June-August.

With the West Indies missing pace bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, both injured, India's batsmen flourished.

Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 175 in India's mammoth first-innings 518 for five declared. Gill made an unbeaten 129.

The West Indies have endured years of decline after the team ruled world cricket.

This was a second successive test whitewash, after they went down to Australia 3-0 at home.

There were a few promising signs at least in the second test.

Left-handed opener John Campbell and Shai Hope made 115 and 103 as they put on 177 runs for the third wicket to thwart India's attack on a slow pitch that had little for the bowlers.

India had enforced the follow-on after they bowled out the West Indies for 248, a deficit of 270 from the hosts' first innings.

The visitors sprung into life in their second innings through Campbell and Hope, and then Justin Greaves and number 10 Jayden Seales.

Greaves, with an unbeaten 50, and Seales (32) put on 79 runs for the final wicket to frustrate India after the West Indies slipped to 311 for nine in the second session on day four.

That show of defiance forced the test into the final day and gave the West Indies a glimpse of brighter days ahead.

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INDIA: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wkt), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

WEST INDIES: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach (wkt), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Jomel Warrican, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales

West Indies opener John Campbell on Monday said his and Shai Hope's centuries in their fightback against India in the second test were a good sign for struggling Caribbean cricket.

Campbell made 115 in his first test ton and put on 177 runs with Hope, who hit 103, to revive West Indies after India made the visitors follow-on at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.

West Indies slipped to 35-2 in their second innings but posted 390 all out to hand India a victory target of 121 on day four.

The left-handed Campbell and right-handed Hope steered West Indies into the lead before Justin Greaves (50 not out) and number 10 Jayden Seales (32) put on 79 runs for the last wicket.

"I think it was a great effort by the batsmen in the second innings," Campbell told reporters.

"Batting over 100 overs, that's a big plus for us against quality bowlers and a challenging pitch as well. We're all hoping that it is signs of good things to come."

West Indies, who were 248 all out in their first innings, have suffered batting flops in recent times including being bundled out for 27 - the second lowest test total - at home against Australia earlier this year.

They suffered a 3-0 Test whitewash to Australia and face a 2-0 defeat in India after they lost the opener by an innings and 140 runs.

India finished the day on 63-1, needing another 58 runs to sweep the series, but Campbell has kept up his hopes.

"Well, as we saw the latter part of the day, the wicket was a little bit up and down," said Campbell. "Who knows what a few early wickets might do in the morning."

Campbell reached his ton with a six off Ravindra Jadeja but fell to the left-arm spinner lbw while attempting a reverse sweep.

"At that time I just thought a shot was on," Campbell said in defence of his shot selection. "Just a little bit of a miscalculation on my part."

India closed in on a 2-0 series sweep in the second test despite some spirited West Indies batting led by centuries from John Campbell and Shai Hope on Monday.

Needing 121 for victory after bowling out the West Indies for 390, the hosts reached 63-1 at stumps on day four at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.

KL Rahul, on 25, and Sai Sudharsan, on 30, were batting in a stand of 54 at close of an absorbing day's play.

Yashasvi Jaiswal fell early for eight after left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican had the Indian opener caught at long-on while attempting an ambitious heave.

Rahul and the left-handed Sudharsan steadied the ship and the pair kept up the scoring with singles and occasional boundaries against a persistent West Indies spin attack.

Earlier, Justin Greaves with an unbeaten 50 and Jayden Seales (32) put on 79 runs for the final wicket to frustrate India after the West Indies slipped to 311-9 in the second session.

Greaves and the left-handed number 10 defied the bowlers for 133 deliveries with straight-bat shots before Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Seales in the final session for his third wicket.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav also took three wickets to add to his five-wicket haul in the West Indies' first innings.

Campbell (115) and Hope (103) had steered the West Indies into the lead after the tourists resumed the day on 173-2 while following on.

"I think it's a big positive for us," Campbell said of their fightback. "Having not gotten the best first innings, we came out second innings and batted over 100 overs, so that's a big plus for us."

The left-right batting pair of Campbell and Hope put on 177 runs for the third wicket.

KULDEEP STRIKES

Opener Campbell reached his first test ton with a six off Ravindra Jadeja before the left-arm spinner trapped him lbw in the morning session.

Hope kept up the charge after lunch and reached his first test hundred in eight years with a boundary off pace bowler Mohammed Siraj.

Siraj had his revenge soon after when the batter dragged his delivery onto his stumps.

Kuldeep then took over to send back wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach, trapped lbw for two.

The left-arm wrist spinner then struck twice in three balls including skipper Roston Chase for 40 before Greaves and Seales put on a defiant partnership.

India bowled more than 200 overs on a slow pitch that made life tough for bowlers.

The visitors had waged a fightback after being reduced to 35-2 in their second innings on day three, but the batters made sure the game will go the distance to day five.

"Good to be bowling long spells and heartening to have taken 20 West Indies wickets," Indian spinner Washington Sundar told reporters.

"We got to be really fit and on top of our game. In test cricket you honestly expect most of the test matches to go till the fifth day and challenge you in every way possible," the offspinner said.

India enforced the follow-on after they bowled out the West Indies for 248, a deficit of 270 from the hosts' first-innings 518-5 declared.

The hosts won the first test, in Ahmedabad, by an innings and 140 runs.

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INDIA: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wkt), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

WEST INDIES: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach (wkt), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Jomel Warrican, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales

Captaining India's cricket team is considered the second most difficult job - behind Prime Minister - in the world's most populous nation. Shubman Gill, however, is making it look easy.

The 26-year-old continued his purple patch with an unbeaten 129 against West Indies in the ongoing second test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.

Gill's fifth test hundred of the year followed his 50 in Ahmedabad where India triumphed wrapped up the series opener inside three days.

While many captains have buckled under the pressure, the responsibility to lead a team followed by a billion-plus fans appears to have brought the best out of Gill.

He amassed 754 runs in the five-test series in England where he debuted as India's test captain this year.

"He's been scoring a lot of runs since getting the captaincy," India vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja said.

"I think that's a good sign for Indian cricket."

After India resumed on their overnight score of 318-2, Gill was involved in an big mix-up with Yashasvi Jaiswal, which resulted in the opener being run out for 175.

Gill shrugged off the setback and went on to bring up a fluent hundred before stepping on the gas.

India racked up 518-5 before declaring. West Indies finished day two on a precarious 140-4 and with the threat of a 2-0 series whitewash looming over them.

Left-arm spinner Jadeja, who claimed three West Indian wickets, has been impressed by Gill.

"It helps the team when the captain leads by example," the 36-year-old allrounder said.

"He and Jaiswal are part of a new generation, which believes in taking responsibility, which is a good sign."

Gill also captains India in one-day internationals and serves as vice-captain in T20s under Suryakumar Yadav, extra responsibilities he seems to wear as lightly as his batting.

India's spinners struck regular blows to dent West Indies' reply as the hosts extended their dominance in the second test after a fluent century from skipper Shubman Gill on Saturday.

The tourists were 140-4 at stumps on the second day, still trailing India by 378 runs at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Shai Hope, on 31, and wicketkeeper-batsman Tevin Imlach, on 14, were batting at close of play after left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets.

Gill led from the front with his unbeaten 129 – his fifth hundred of the year in eight tests – after Yashasvi Jaiswal's run out on 175 in the second over of the day following a mix-up with the captain.

"Misunderstandings happen and it's part of the game," Jadeja told reporters. "Thankfully we are in a good position after that and put up a tall score."

Jadeja added that they would try to get the tourists out early on day three even though "there is not much spin on the wicket".

In reply to India's mammoth first-innings 518-5 declared, opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul (34) and Alick Athanaze (41) offered some resistance before departing.

Chanderpaul edged a short-of-a-length ball from Jadeja to slip where KL Rahul caught it after a couple of juggles to end a 66-run second-wicket stand.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav sent back Athanaze and in the next over skipper Roston Chase was dismissed for a duck off Jadeja.

Hope kept up the fight after he survived a close lbw appeal, which India reviewed but lost as ball tracking confirmed the umpire's call.

FREAK CATCH

"We know it's very challenging, but I know we have capable batters who can do it," West Indies spinner Jomel Warrican said.

"The wicket is turning a lot more compared to day one, so we just have to apply ourselves and back our ability."

In the second session, West Indies opener John Campbell fell for 10 as Sai Sudharsan somehow took a stunning and slightly lucky reflex catch at forward short-leg.

The left-handed Campbell attempted a slog sweep off Jadeja and Sudharsan instinctively held on to the ball with his helmet, chest and hands as he ducked for cover.

Gill, who started the day on 20, took on the West Indies attack with his classy strokeplay, hitting 16 fours and two sixes in his 10th test century.

Gill scored three runs off left-arm spinner Khary Pierre to reach a hundred and raised his bat to acknowledge a raucous weekend crowd.

He and wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel, who made 44, shared 102 runs for the fifth wicket and put on quick runs peppered with regular boundaries after the lunch break to turn the screw on the West Indies.

Earlier, the left-handed Jaiswal added just two to his overnight score before departing after the dramatic run out.

Attempting a single after pushing the ball to mid-off, Jaiswal set off, but Gill had his back towards the striker and was ball-watching, and Imlach was quick to rattle the stumps.

Gill kept calm and put on 91 runs with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made 43 before Warrican got him out for his third wicket.

India are hot favourites to sweep the two-match series after winning the opener by an innings.

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INDIA: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wkt), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

WEST INDIES: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach (wkt), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Jomel Warrican, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales

Prolific opener Yashasvi Jaiswal smacked 173 not out as India moved ominously towards a massive first-innings total in the second test against the West Indies on Friday.

The hosts ended day one on 318-2 after they elected to bat first at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium in a bid to sweep the two-match series.

The left-handed Jaiswal made the day his own as he put on a marathon 193-run second-wicket stand with Sai Sudharsan, who scored 87.

Jaiswal, who registered his fifth 150-plus score in tests, and skipper Shubman Gill, on 20, were batting at close of play after Sudharsan's dismissal was the only wicket to fall in the final session.

The 23-year-old Jaiswal reached his seventh test ton in his 26th match since he began his five-day career in the West Indies in 2023 with a 171 on debut.

He raised his bat, made a heart gesture with his hands and blew kisses as a lively crowd applauded.

Jaiswal looked fluent as he hit pace bowler Jayden Seales for three fours in the first over after lunch to raise his fifty and kept up the attack with regular boundaries.

Sudharsan reached his fifty with a boundary off Khary Pierre then survived a dropped catch on 58 by Jomel Warrican at short mid-wicket off Justin Greaves.

The top-order batsman has been fighting for the number-three spot in India's competitive line-up and looked primed for his first test ton but Warrican trapped him lbw.

Jaiswal stood firm along with Gill as the pair put together 67 runs to tire out the demoralised opposition attack.

India started strongly with KL Rahul and Jaiswal putting on 58 runs for the first wicket.

Rahul made a rapid 38 before being stumped by wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach off Warrican.

Rahul had attacked Seales for successive fours, including a rasping cover drive followed by a whip towards the mid-on fence in the first hour of play.

Jaiswal's straight drive off pace bowler Anderson Phillip after the first drinks break also delighted the home fans, who are expecting another big win.

Spin was introduced in the 15th over, with Pierre bowling his left-arm orthodox on a tidy line and length.

Rahul took on Pierre in the next over and came down the track to hit the first six of the match over long-on, but another ambitious attempt in the next over had him walking back.

Strong favourites India came in unchanged from their innings victory in the opener.

The visitors, led by Roston Chase, are looking to avoid a second successive test whitewash after losing 3-0 to Australia at home.

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INDIA: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wkt), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

WEST INDIES: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach (wkt), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Jomel Warrican, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales

Shubman Gill said Thursday that his biggest opponent could be "mental fatigue" after the India test captain recently took over charge of the 50-over side.

Speaking ahead of Friday's second test against the West Indies in New Delhi, Gill conceded that it was a challenge to play all three international formats, but that was what drove him.

"Physically most of the time I feel fine, but sometimes there is mental fatigue because when you are constantly playing," Gill told reporters.

"There is obviously a certain expectation that I have from myself."

 

Want to win everything that we have in the upcoming months: Shubman Gill

Captain Shubman Gill speaks about his aspirations after being appointed as the #TeamIndia ODI skipper 🇮🇳🙌#INDvWI | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/htiVcwXHNd

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 9, 2025

 

India lead the two-match series 1-0 after they hammered the visitors by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in the first test.

Immediately after play ended on day three, Gill was named to succeed Rohit Sharma as ODI captain, adding to the 26-year-old's workload.

"I think that is the challenge about being able to play all the formats for India," said Gill.

"And I want to play and succeed in all the formats for the country, and win ICC titles."

Gill, who made his test debut in December 2020, took over as test skipper in May from Rohit.

He was India's leading scorer in the drawn five-test series in England with 754 runs.

He was also vice-captain of the Asia Cup-winning T20 team last month.

Turning to the West Indies, Gill said there would be no complacency as India aim to wrap up the series against a team who are a pale shadow of the side that once ruled world cricket.

"I don't think your intensity drops down depending on the opposition," Gill said.

"It doesn't matter who we are playing. We want to be able to play at our own intensity and we want to win."

West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia in June and July.

But embattled captain Roston Chase said he had been told to "keep believing" by West Indian greats, including Viv Richards, Brian Lara and Richie Richardson who were at an awards ceremony in New Delhi.

"I had the privilege of meeting all three of them and they said the same thing, they told me 'to keep believing'," said Chase.

"We are down right now but it has to change at some point.

"It starts with belief and need to keep motivating the players to play positive cricket and change around our downfall."

India captain Shubman Gill said his team played the "perfect game" to thump West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days of the test series opener in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

India bundled out West Indies for 162 and 146 and amassed 448-5 before declaring at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Opener KL Rahul, allrounder Ravindra Jadeja and stumper-batsman Dhruv Jurel made hundreds, and the hosts' incisive bowling was backed by sharp catching.

"Very happy with the win. Honestly, I think this was a perfect game for us," Gill, who made 50, said at the presentation ceremony.

"Three centurions in the game, and I think we fielded really well in both innings, we don't really have any complaints."

Against a West Indies attack depleted by the last-minute withdrawals of Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph due to injury, Gill was disappointed that he and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (36) could not make bigger contributions.

"I think it was a pretty good wicket to bat on," he said. "We both got starts but couldn't convert. But there were plenty of other batsmen who converted, so happy for them."

Jadeja's unbeaten 104 was his fifth test hundred, and he claimed four wickets to bag the player-of-the-match award.

"I have been working hard with my batting," the India vice-captain said.

"I had a two-month off, there was no test cricket or ODIs and I worked on my skills and fitness.

"I was batting at No 8 and nine a few years ago but now I got my place at six. I now have time to prepare myself and I can pace my innings."

West Indies captain Roston Chase said it was always going to be difficult after his team's first-innings meltdown.

"I think we probably didn't even get any 50-run partnerships," he said.

"And in cricket, it's partnerships, whether you're batting or bowling. I just think we need to string some batting partnerships together, and that will make it easier for us."

The second and final test is scheduled starts in New Delhi on October 10.

West Indies skipper Roston Chase on Saturday bemoaned Caribbean cricket's finances and poor infrastructure following a crushing defeat to India in the first test.

The visitors went down by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in Ahmedabad after their batting flopped twice.

West Indies were bowled out for 162 and 146 on a pitch where the hosts made 448-5 declared including three centuries.

It was another demoralising performance and result for the West Indies, who are a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.

"There is obviously a struggle in the Caribbean for finances, so whatever help we can get, if they are planning to get the help," Chase told reporters.

"I hope that we do get it, so that we could strengthen the infrastructure for the cricket."

He added: "I think the systems in the Caribbean are a bit poor in terms of training facilities and stuff.

"But I'm not using that as an excuse or something to hide behind the poor performances that we've been putting up lately."

West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match – the second-lowest score in test history.

In another setback, their T20 team recently lost a three-match series to Nepal.

In the five-day format, West Indies batsmen have struggled to convert starts into bigger scores with Justin Greaves and Alick Athanaze scoring 32 and 38 in the first and second innings.

"The pitches in the Caribbean are not really batsman friendly, so guys don't really bat for long periods and score those big scores," Chase said.

"The outfields in the Caribbean are really slow, so when you hit the ball in the gaps and you think you have four, you probably end up struggling to get two.

"Those are just some of the problems that we're faced with in the Caribbean."

Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja starred with both bat and ball as India hammered WIndies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days of the first test on Saturday.

 

India declared on their overnight 448-5, a lead of 286, and then bundled the West Indies out for 146 in the second session at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

It was another heavy and demoralising defeat for West Indies, who are a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.

Left-handed Jadeja stood out for India with 4-54 from his spin bowling after he hit an unbeaten 104 for his sixth test century and was named player of the match.

"Honestly, I think this was the perfect game for us," India skipper Shubman Gill said. "Three centuries and we fielded really well, so no complaints."

"When you've got quality spinners like them, it's difficult to be able to rotate, but it's good to have an option of too many," he said of his bowlers.

"That's the fun of playing in India."

Alick Athanaze, a left-handed No 3, made 38 and offered some belated resistance with Justin Greaves in a partnership of 46, but the rest of the West Indies batting fell apart.

Washington Sundar and then pace bowler Mohammed Siraj struck regular blows before Kuldeep Yadav wrapped up the match as the West Indies innings folded in 45.1 overs.

Siraj continued his good form with figures of 4-40 in the first innings after West Indies opted to bat.

He then extended his tally of wickets this year to 30, after playing a key role in India's 2-2 draw in England.

India have still not lost a test to the West Indies at home since 1994.

'IMPROVE SKILLS'

West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match – the second-lowest score in test history.

Their batting woes continued after they won the toss and could only manage a meagre first innings total of 162.

"Obviously, we had a poor batting display, that's been something that's been plaguing us for the past two series," Chase told reporters. "We've not been able to at least bat 80 overs by a day or even get at least 250 or 300 runs on the board."

"I just think that we have to improve our skill levels."

KL Rahul led India's batting dominance with his 100 before Dhruv Jurel, who made 125, and Jadeja put on 206 for the fifth wicket on Friday.

Jadeja took on the West Indies spinners, hitting left-arm orthodox Jomel Warrican for five sixes.

Chase claimed two wickets and debutant left-arm spinner Khary Pierre claimed his first in a test after wicketkeeper-batsman Jurel registered his maiden test century.

West Indies have struggled in the absence of premier fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, both ruled out with injury.

India are strong favourites to win 2-0 against an opposition that is a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.

The second test begins on October 10 in New Delhi.

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INDIA: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

WEST INDIES: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Jayden Seales.

Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja hit attacking centuries to put India in total control with a lead of 286 against the West Indies in the first test on Friday.

KL Rahul led the batting show with his 100 before Jurel, who made 125, and Jadeja piled on the agony for the opposition bowlers in a marathon stand of 206 on day two in Ahmedabad.

India reached 448-5 at stumps in response to West Indies' first-innings total of 162.

Jadeja, on 104, was batting alongside fellow left-hander Washington Sundar, on nine, at close of play.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jurel raised his first test ton with a boundary off West Indies skipper Roston Chase and the son of a war veteran celebrated with an army-like tribute with his bat.

Jurel took the attack to the visitors with 15 fours and three sixes before he became the first test wicket of debutant left-arm spinner Khary Pierre.

Jadeja plundered his sixth test hundred and raised the noise of a sparse crowd at the world's biggest cricket stadium with his trademark sword celebration. He hit six fours and five sixes.

The right-left batting pair of Jurel and Jadeja wore down the opposition bowlers on a deteriorating pitch.

A delivery from Jomel Warrican went past Jadeja at ankle length after hitting a rough patch formed due to bowlers' footmarks.

Warrican had Rahul caught at short extra-cover with his left-arm spin on the fifth ball after the lunch break. The opener did not trouble the scorers after reaching his 11th test century.

Rahul reached the ton in the morning session, kissing the India flag on his helmet and soaking in the applause from the few hundred fans sprinkled in a sea of orange seats at the 132 000-capacity stadium.

Starting the day on 121-2, Rahul and skipper Shubman Gill, who made 50, put on 98 runs to pile on the agony for the West Indies.

The two overnight batters had a few nervy moments.

Rahul survived a reprieve on 57 when an edge from his bat went between the wicketkeeper and slip in the first over.

Rahul, who started the day on 53, hit regular boundaries with his exquisite timing and technique.

Gill looked to find his mojo after a cautious start and reached his eighth test fifty with a single off Pierre.

The captain soon got out to Chase's off-spin after he attempted a reverse sweep but lobbed it to Justin Greaves at slip.

The West Indies have struggled in the absence of premier fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph – both ruled out ahead of the series with injury.

India are strong favourites to win 2-0 against an opposition that is a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.

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INDIA: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

WEST INDIES: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Jayden Seales.

Red-hot Mohammed Siraj returned figures of 4-40 as India dismissed the West Indies for 162 and then turned the screw with the bat on day one of the first test on Thursday.

The hosts were 121-2 at stumps with KL Rahul unbeaten on 53 in front of a sparse crowd at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Rahul reached his 20th test fifty and stood firm along with skipper Shubman Gill, on 18, at close of play.

A depleted West Indies won the toss but the Indian attack struck regular blows to bowl out the visitors in 44.1 overs in the second session.

Siraj drew first blood with the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul for a duck and extended his tally of test wickets to 27 this year, having played a key role in India's 2-2 draw in England.

"The England series gave me a lot of confidence," Siraj said. "It was a competitive cricket series in England against a strong side, so to perform there gives you an added confidence."

On the comparatively inexperienced West Indies batting line-up, Siraj said: "I had to work hard for my wickets just like I did in England."

"I was denied a five-wicket haul," he said with a chuckle.

After an initial first spell of 3-19 in seven overs, Siraj returned in the second session to get one more wicket and was ably supported by fellow quick Jasprit Bumrah.

No 7 Justin Greaves top-scored for the West Indies with 32 before being bowled by Bumrah, who took three wickets.

Skipper Roston Chase (24) and Shai Hope attempted to revive the innings after the West Indies slipped to 42-4 in the first hour of play.

'WE HAVE TO IMPROVE'

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav bowled Hope for 26 to end the 48-run fifth-wicket stand at the stroke of lunch.

Kuldeep got his second to send back Jomel Warrican for eight and wrap up the innings. Early tea was called.

"Obviously we have to improve," vice-captain Warrican said of his team's batting. "We, as a batting unit, have to come together to score more runs on the board."

West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match, the second-lowest score in test history.

They have been forced into late changes after injuries to pace bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, and are a pale shadow of the team that once dominated cricket.

India are strongly tipped to sweep the two-match series.

The Indian openers started the reply cautiously before Rahul and the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal got going in a session interrupted by a brief spell of rain.

West Indies pace spearhead Jayden Seales had Jaiswal caught behind for 36 and Chase trapped Sai Sudharsan lbw for seven with his off-spin.

---

INDIA: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

WEST INDIES: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Jayden Seales.

Shubman Gill's India will be heavy favourites when they play a home two-test series starting Thursday against a West Indies side struggling with injuries and a pale shadow of the team that once dominated cricket.

The Caribbean team have endured years of decline and their T20 team registered a new low this week with a series defeat to non-test playing nation Nepal.

In the longest format the West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match – the second-lowest score in test history.

The debacle prompted West Indies cricket boss Kishore Shallow to call for an emergency meeting involving past greats.

West Indies, led by Roston Chase, have been forced into late changes after injuries ruled out pace bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph ahead of the first test in Ahmedabad.

They have been replaced by the uncapped pair of seamer Johann Layne and left-arm quick Jediah Blades, who has only played white-ball cricket for the West Indies.

Jayden Seales is the only pace bowler in an inexperienced attack who has played more than 10 tests.

In contrast, India are full of confidence after securing a thrilling 2-2 draw in their five-test series in England which ended in August.

The series was Gill's first as captain and the first without greats Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, who have all retired.

The tour was a personal triumph for the new skipper, who scored 754 runs, the most ever by an Indian batsman in a series in England.

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will make a quick turnaround from playing in the T20 Asia Cup, where he took two wickets in Sunday's final win in Dubai over Pakistan.

Bumrah's workload is being managed carefully after an injury in Australia earlier this year.

He was rested for two of the five tests in England, where fellow quick Mohammed Siraj was the leading bowler with 23 wickets.

For the West Indies, Chase is joined in the spin bowling department by Jomel Warrican and Khary Pierre, who is set for a long-awaited test debut.

"I always want to do more... hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard," said Pierre, 34, after a domestic season where he claimed 41 wickets.

"I leave everything on the cricket field – blood, sweat, tears – and that was my trademark this season and it paid off."

The second and final test will be played in New Delhi from 10 - 14 October.

INDIA: Shubman Gill (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, Axar Patel, N. Jagadeesan

WEST INDIES: Roston Chase (capt), Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Johann Layne, Jediah Blades, Brandon King, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican

West Indies suffered a major blow ahead of their tour of India on Friday when fast bowler Shamar Joseph was ruled out of the two-test series due to injury.

Uncapped fast bowling all-rounder Johann Layne would replace Joseph in the squad, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said in a statement.

"Joseph has been ruled out due to an injury and will be re-evaluated ahead of the Bangladesh limited-overs series," the statement read.

The board did not specify the nature of the injury suffered by the 26-year-old, who played in the final of the Caribbean Premier League on Sunday.

Joseph was hailed as a new pace sensation after his international debut in 2023-24 when he bowled West Indies to their first test victory in Australia in 27 years - despite playing with a bruised toe.

West Indies arrived in India on Wednesday ahead of the series beginning in Ahmedabad on 2 October.

The limited overs side face Bangladesh in three ODIs and three T20s from 18 October to 1 November.

West Indies have recalled batters Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Alick Athanaze for their two-test tour of India next month but there was no place in the 15-man squad for former skipper Kraigg Brathwaite.

Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre received a maiden test call up as West Indies brace for a trial by spin in India.

"The return of Tagenarine Chanderpaul is to help transform our fortunes at the top of the order given the recent struggles, with Alick Athanaze being added for his strengths and qualities against spin bowling," head coach Daren Sammy said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Khary is included for the first time as our second spinner in what we expect to be helpful conditions."

Vice captain Jomel Warrican will spearhead their spin attack with West Indies opting to rest fellow left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie to keep him fresh for the Twenty20 World Cup in February and March next year.

"Playing in the subcontinent always presents a challenge and we have selected a team to be competitive in these conditions," Sammy said.

Brathwaite managed a total of 15 runs in four innings in the first two tests against Australia before being dropped for the final match in Kingston where the tourists completed a 3-0 series sweep.

The first test against India is scheduled in Ahmedabad from October 2 while Delhi hosts the second test from 10 October.

West Indies squad: Roston Chase (captain), Jomel Warrican, Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales

India will host the West Indies for two tests in October followed by a series across formats against South Africa, the country's cricket board said on Wednesday.

🚨Announcement🚨

Fixtures for #TeamIndia (Senior Men) international home season for 2025 announced.

Test series against West Indies, followed by an all-format series against South Africa.

Guwahati to host its maiden test

Details 🔽https://t.co/s1HyuWSDL2

— BCCI (@BCCI) April 2, 2025

The West Indies test tour to India begins on 2 October with the opener at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens will host the second test from October 10-14.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the upcoming international home season "promises thrilling encounters" as they announced the schedule in a release.

West Indies will tour India for a two-match test series 👊🏻🏏#teamindia #cricket pic.twitter.com/XORdPCGTe1

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) April 2, 2025

South Africa will play two tests in India starting 14 November in New Delhi.

The second match will be in Guwahati – the venue to host its first-ever test – starting 22 November.

The two teams will then clash in three one-day internationals and five T20 matches across different venues in India.

SCHEDULE

West Indies tour of India

Oct 2-6 1st test Ahmedabad

Oct 10-14 2nd test Kolkata

South Africa tour of India

Nov 14-18 1st test New Delhi

Nov 22-26 2nd test Guwahati

Nov 30 1st ODI Ranchi

Dec 3 2nd ODI Raipur

Dec 6 3rd ODI Visakhapatnam

Dec 9 1st T20I Cuttack

Dec 11 2nd T20I New Chandigarh

Dec 14 3rd T20I Dharamsala

Dec 17 4th T20I Lucknow

Dec 19 5th T20I Ahmedabad