All eyes on Yashasvi Jaiswal as India aims to start their Windies journey with a strong performance

Yashasvi Jaiswal will be eager to fulfill the expectations and potential he has displayed at the first-class level, as he faces a challenging test in the upcoming match.

Yashasvi Jaiswal is in contention to make his Test debut against West Indies in Dominica.

With the highly anticipated debut of Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Indian team is poised to undergo a transition phase in the two-Test series against a struggling West Indies side seeking redemption. While the hosts, having suffered a surprising elimination from the ODI World Cup Qualifiers, are eager to reestablish their significance in international cricket, the Indian team also faces its own set of challenges. The much-discussed departure of Cheteshwar Pujara has created a vacancy in the Indian top-order, and the immensely talented left-handed batsman from Mumbai hopes to live up to his reputation and potential that he has demonstrated in the realm of first-class cricket, despite being thrust into the deep end of the pool.

Although the conventional approach suggests deploying the debutant at the number three position, Shubman Gill appears to be a more natural fit in the middle-order. Yashasvi Jaiswal, aged 21, typically opens the batting for Mumbai, West Zone, and Rest of India in red-ball cricket.

To help him find his footing and ease any initial jitters, starting at the No. 3 position wouldn’t be a bad choice.

Facing an experienced bowling lineup consisting of Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel, Alzarri Joseph, and Jason Holder, Yashasvi Jaiswal is set to undergo a challenging trial by fire. This will serve as a valuable learning experience for him before he confronts South Africa in their home country later in the year, followed by a formidable Australian team during the winter of 2024-25.

India’s upcoming World Test Championship cycle is expected to present a significantly tougher challenge compared to the previous two editions. Unlike the previous tournaments, where a settled team advanced to consecutive finals thanks to their exceptional pace bowling attack.

However, with the absence of an injured Jasprit Bumrah, who may struggle to consistently participate in Test matches, and the skilled Mohammed Shami being rested for this series, the Indian bowling attack will undoubtedly lack the sharpness that has made the current team a dominant force on the global stage.

Among the other two members of the renowned quartet, Ishant Sharma will be making his commentary debut in this series, while 36-year-old Umesh Yadav may face challenges in earning a recall after recuperating from a hamstring injury.

As a result, the five-man bowling attack, spearheaded by Mohammed Siraj with 19 Tests under his belt and supported by Shardul Thakur, who has played nine long-form matches, appears significantly less experienced compared to the pace attack of the West Indies.

Once again, the key factor will be how well the West Indies team matches up against the craftiness and skill of Ravichandran Ashwin (474 wickets) and Ravindra Jadeja (268), who together possess nearly 750 Test wickets.

The selection of four bowlers is a given, but deciding between Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, and Navdeep Saini for the final spot might pose a challenging decision.

Likewise, when it comes to having two spinners in action, Kona Bharath proves to be a more reliable choice behind the stumps compared to Ishan Kishan. However, Bharath’s time in the team is limited due to his underwhelming performance with the bat. Kishan’s natural flair and left-handed batting style cannot be disregarded for long, especially until Rishabh Pant reclaims his spot in the side.

While the Windsor Park hasn’t hosted a Test match in the past six years, it is a format where the collective Caribbean nations have showcased their best form in recent times.

It would be unwise for India to assume that West Indies’ performance in the World Cup qualifiers will directly impact their performance in Test matches; such an assumption could prove misleading.

In terms of their pace attack, the primary bowlers for West Indies are Roach (261 wickets), an experienced campaigner with almost 15 years under his belt, and Gabriel (164 wickets), a potent force with the new ball. Gabriel does not participate in white-ball cricket.

On Caribbean pitches, both bowlers pose significant challenges, and India’s batting trinity comprising skipper Rohit Sharma, the exceptional Virat Kohli, and the returning Ajinkya Rahane will face an arduous task.

Each of these three batsmen will encounter distinct challenges during the series.

The future of Rohit Sharma remains uncertain, with clarity expected after the 50-over World Cup. To remain relevant in the longer format beyond the World Cup, Rohit needs to win the two-match series and make significant contributions with the bat.

In comparison to shorter formats, Rohit has appeared more assured in Test cricket.

Virat Kohli also needs to produce noteworthy innings. The astute West Indies pacers may exploit his vulnerabilities outside the off-stump, and a string of low scores would raise questions about the difference in scrutiny between him and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Both Kohli and Pujara have averaged below 30 in the last three years, but only Pujara faced criticism and was eventually dropped from the side.

Ajinkya Rahane’s comeback and elevation to vice-captaincy do not guarantee a secure position, as he could be the first to face scrutiny if he encounters a couple of failures, with Ruturaj Gaikwad considered a ready replacement.

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul will also make comebacks at some point.

Hence, the sub-narratives within the main storyline will be equally intriguing in the upcoming 13 days.

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (Vice-Captain), KS Bharat (Wicket-Keeper), Ishan Kishan (Wicket-Keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (C), Jermaine Blackwood (VC), Joshua Da Silva (WK), Alick Athanaze, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Jomel Warrican.

Match starts: 7:30 pm IST.

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