Alakshendra Singh, Pune
India defeated the West Indies 1-0 in an important test series ahead of the upcoming World Cup. The win turned out to be bliss in the Caribbean, as Rohit Sharma led the team, and along with senior members, the youngsters also showed their spark.
Captain Rohit was under obvious scrutiny after the disappointing performance of his squad in the WTC Final’23 against the Kiwis. India seemed lost and out of place during the final, but we saw a much more confident side this time around.
The return of No. 1 test bowler R. Ashwin proved vital in the very first match. as the spinner took a 5 wicket haul in the first innings. Ashwin’s demolition of the opposition was delightful but not surprising. What made the world turn its head was the debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal.
With an incredible inning of 171 (387), the young Southpaw joined an elite club of left-handers with centuries on their test debuts. With the exuberance of a kid and the air of a veteran, Jaiswal demolished the West Indies bowling attack. On the other hand, taking charge of the bowling attack, Ashwin continued his stellar form and improved on it as he bagged 7 wickets in the second innings.
The second test saw the openers give India a decent start. They gave way to Virat Kohli, who came out to score his 29th Test century. Kohli scored a brilliant 121 (206), putting India well in the driving seat of the matchup. Jadeja’s 61 (152) and Ashwin’s 56 (78) were the final nails in the coffin. Rain plagued the second innings as India took the series 1-0. There has always been outrage after team selection, but this time the selectors got it right with the entry of new faces and the calling back of a few veterans. The equation of the team finally seems to be right, and the spectators are waiting to see the upcoming squad for the World Cup. Among all the clamor surrounding this win, cricket lovers want to see this team carry this momentum into the upcoming tournament. The biggest stage of all in the world of cricket is right around the corner, and they hope that India can finally end the drought of ICC trophies.