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The ongoing two-Test series against India has been branded Mission India by the West Indies — a campaign that aims far beyond just competing on the field. At its heart lies a broader ambition: to reignite the golden era of West Indies cricket, attract sponsorships, upgrade infrastructure, and, in essence, Make West Indies Great Again (MWIGA). However, everyone associated with West Indies cricket agrees that this revival must start with performances on the pitch.
A constellation of Caribbean greats — including Brian Lara, Sir Vivian Richards, and Richie Richardson — has landed in Delhi as part of the MWIGA movement. Their mission includes delivering an inspiring message to the team led by Roston Chase before the second Test. “We’re planning to head to Delhi to have a quick chat with the boys,” Lara said in Mumbai. “It’s never easy to beat India at home, but we hope to be competitive. Hopefully, the next match will give us a real contest.”
Following a series of humiliating defeats — from the pink-ball Test against Australia to the white-ball losses against Nepal — one might have thought the West Indies had already hit rock bottom. But the innings defeat in Ahmedabad proved otherwise, showing that the decline has, in fact, deepened.
The first Test concluded in less than half its scheduled time. Across both innings, the West Indies failed to even bat out 90 overs — the standard quota for a single day in a five-day match. No batter reached 50; none even crossed 40. To say the team is underperforming would be putting it mildly.
There was little evidence of the grit and resilience typically required at the Test level. The 16 maiden overs they played weren't a result of calculated defence or tactical patience, but rather a reflection of indecisiveness and lack of intent. As the second Test approaches — starting Friday (October 10) — the focus isn’t on whether the West Indies can level the series, but simply on how many overs they’ll manage to survive.
India, unsurprisingly, go into the Delhi Test as overwhelming favourites. For them, it’s business as usual — maintaining dominance over a team that hasn’t won a series in India since 1983, the same year West Indies coach Daren Sammy was born. With no changes expected to India’s playing XI from the first Test, the spotlight shifts to a couple of players under scrutiny.
Most notably, eyes will be on Sai Sudharsan. The Tamil Nadu batter has struggled to find form, managing only 147 runs in seven Test innings, including a disappointing seven in Ahmedabad. Yet, captain Shubman Gill remains supportive. “Not everyone is going to score a hundred in every match,” Gill remarked. “Young players need time and opportunities. We judge them on potential, not just numbers.”
Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy — who neither batted nor bowled extensively in the first Test (just four overs) — could be asked to play a more active role in Delhi, possibly batting higher up the order.
Beyond individual performances, India will be aiming to secure the 12 World Test Championship (WTC) points on offer. That goal is expected to be within reach, especially on the dry, worn-out surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Squads:
West Indies: John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Roston Chase(c), Shai Hope(w), Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Jomel Warrican, Johann Layne, Jayden Seales, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Anderson Phillip, Tevin Imlach
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, N Jagadeesan, Axar Patel, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna
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A constellation of Caribbean greats — including Brian Lara, Sir Vivian Richards, and Richie Richardson — has landed in Delhi as part of the MWIGA movement. Their mission includes delivering an inspiring message to the team led by Roston Chase before the second Test. “We’re planning to head to Delhi to have a quick chat with the boys,” Lara said in Mumbai. “It’s never easy to beat India at home, but we hope to be competitive. Hopefully, the next match will give us a real contest.”
Following a series of humiliating defeats — from the pink-ball Test against Australia to the white-ball losses against Nepal — one might have thought the West Indies had already hit rock bottom. But the innings defeat in Ahmedabad proved otherwise, showing that the decline has, in fact, deepened.
The first Test concluded in less than half its scheduled time. Across both innings, the West Indies failed to even bat out 90 overs — the standard quota for a single day in a five-day match. No batter reached 50; none even crossed 40. To say the team is underperforming would be putting it mildly.
There was little evidence of the grit and resilience typically required at the Test level. The 16 maiden overs they played weren't a result of calculated defence or tactical patience, but rather a reflection of indecisiveness and lack of intent. As the second Test approaches — starting Friday (October 10) — the focus isn’t on whether the West Indies can level the series, but simply on how many overs they’ll manage to survive.
India, unsurprisingly, go into the Delhi Test as overwhelming favourites. For them, it’s business as usual — maintaining dominance over a team that hasn’t won a series in India since 1983, the same year West Indies coach Daren Sammy was born. With no changes expected to India’s playing XI from the first Test, the spotlight shifts to a couple of players under scrutiny.
Most notably, eyes will be on Sai Sudharsan. The Tamil Nadu batter has struggled to find form, managing only 147 runs in seven Test innings, including a disappointing seven in Ahmedabad. Yet, captain Shubman Gill remains supportive. “Not everyone is going to score a hundred in every match,” Gill remarked. “Young players need time and opportunities. We judge them on potential, not just numbers.”
Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy — who neither batted nor bowled extensively in the first Test (just four overs) — could be asked to play a more active role in Delhi, possibly batting higher up the order.
Beyond individual performances, India will be aiming to secure the 12 World Test Championship (WTC) points on offer. That goal is expected to be within reach, especially on the dry, worn-out surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Squads:
West Indies: John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Roston Chase(c), Shai Hope(w), Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Jomel Warrican, Johann Layne, Jayden Seales, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Anderson Phillip, Tevin Imlach
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, N Jagadeesan, Axar Patel, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna
=======
All posters, please take note of the following guidelines for match threads on PakPassion:
1. No personal insults at other posters, players, officials, coaching staff, etc.
2. No making fun of players', officials', or coaching staff's names.
3. Do not add any references to media, their social media, or post any pictures or screenshots from other sports websites.
4. Stick to commenting on this match. There is no need to bring other countries into the match discussion, as there are plenty of other threads where those discussions can be added.
No. 7 for Yashasvi Jaiswal well played young man. 
