India vs West Indies 2016 3rd Test: Probable Combined XI

As we go into the 3rd Test of the India-West Indies series, the Indians will be eager to move on from the drawn second Test and concentrate on the job in hand. West Indies, on the other hand, will be delighted after their monumental effort ensured they saved the Test match from a situation where they were done and dusted.

They will be having happy memories from the 2nd Test and will try to replicate their fighting character in the 3rd Test. KL Rahul was the star performer for India in the 2nd Test scoring a brilliant century in his comeback Test. Ajinkya Rahane played his part too as he notched up his 7th Test century.

The Indian bowlers did a fantastic job in the 1st innings, bowling out West Indies for 196 runs but after rattling the Windies top order in the 2nd innings they were unable to produce the goods on the 5th day after the rain god played spoilsport on the 4th day.

So before the start of the 3rd Test, we make a possible Combined XI

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#1 Murali Vijay

Vijay has a terrific record in Test cricket and can handle the match situation very well. Out with an injury in the last Test, Vijay will be eager to make a strong comeback as the battle for the opener’s slot has heated up after a brilliant century from KL Rahul in the 3rd Test.

He has been a consistent performer for India in the longest format and it will be very surprising if he is omitted from the playing XI.

#2 KL Rahul

Rahul looked in sublime touch in the 2nd Test and will be trying to make his opportunities count. His brilliant 158 in the 2nd Test has booked him a place in the playing XI for the rest of the series.

In his short career, he has already scored 3 Test centuries. Making his Test debut in Australia, he scored a century in his 2nd Test Test at Sydney and followed it up with another century against Sri Lanka.

#3 Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara brings a sense of calmness to the batting order. He is calm and composed at the crease and a man you can rely on. Though he hasn’t been in the greatest of form but he will try to make his opportunity count in the 3rd Test against a weak West Indies bowling attack.

Pujara will be eyeing a big score and replicate the form he showed in home conditions. He has already scored two double centuries and is a man known to grind for long hours.

#4 Virat Kohli

The modern day great Virat Kohli looked rusty in the 2nd Test but that won’t bother him too much. Kohli scored his first Test double century in the 1st Test of the series and will be trying to follow it up with another century.

Making his first Test century at Adelaide in 2012, he has evolved a lot and can be easily called the best batsman in India, if not the World. The young man has a superb record in all 3 formats of the game but his priority will be to lead India to a victory in the 3rd Test.

#5 Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane has been a consistent performer for India and has played most of his Test matches away from India. Scoring centuries in Australia, England and New Zealand in only 24 Test matches is no mean achievement.

Rahane never comes in the limelight but goes on doing his job in a professional manner. He scored a hard-fought century in the last Test and will be eager to score much more in the 3rd Test.

#6 Roston Chase

A monumental effort by the all-rounder saw West Indies save the 2nd Test from a hapless situation but he will hope his teammates perform better in the 3rd Test. Playing only in his 2nd Test, Roston Chase joined the elite club of West indies players who scored a century and took five wickets in the same Test.

He prefers batting more than bowling but he is a handy off-break bowler and can provide the ideal balance in the team set up.

#7 Wriddhiman Saha

The best wicket-keeper in India, Wriddhiman Saha has been busy behind the wickets and has been the safest of the two keepers from either country. He had a reasonable outing with the bat in the first two matches scoring 40 plus in both Tests.

He hasn’t been a consistent performer with the bat but it’s understandable as he has been in the shadow of Mahendra Singh Dhoni for a long period of time. It was only after Dhoni’s retirement that Saha became a permanent member of the Test team.

#8 Ravichandran Ashwin

He is the greatest off break bowler in the world at the moment and he has performed like a No1 bowler in the series so far. He picked up 7 wickets in the first Test and backed it up with a century. He did a terrific job in the 2nd Test too and bagged a five-wicket haul.

In the last few years, he has been a revelation for India and has picked up a bagful of wickets against each and every nation. He goes on bowling in the right areas and can wait for his wickets. He is a terrific Test bowler and has got many variations up his sleeve and is also one of the best exponents of the carom ball.

#9 Jason Holder

Jason Holder bowled an inspired spell in the 2nd Test that instilled the confidence in his boys to perform better in the 2nd innings. Along with Roston Chase, Holder defied the Indians for a long period of time in the 2nd Test before both captains decided to settle for a draw.

He has a good Test record with the bat coming lower down the order and he can chip in with useful medium pacers. Though he doesn’t have too much pace but he can persist with a nagging line and length that forces a batsman to commit mistakes.

#10 Mohammed Shami

Shami made a comeback in this Test series after a prolonged injury kept him out of international cricket since the 2015 World Cup. Shami was unplayable in the 1st test as he swung the ball both ways and made life difficult for the Windies batsmen. He picked up 4 top order wickets in a fiery spell that triggered a batting collapse and took four wickets in the 2nd Test but he was far more threatening than his figure suggests.

Shami made a sensational Test debut against the same opposition in Kolkata and picked up 10 wickets. The series is also remembered as the farewell test series of Sachin Tendulkar.

#11 Ishant Sharma

The most experienced bowler in the Indian bowling line-up Ishant Sharma has been consistent with the ball in the series so far. Though he doesn’t have too many wickets to show but his immaculate line and length have kept the Windies under check. Ishant will try and add to his wickets tally in the 3rd Test.

Making his Test debut way back in 2007, Ishant hasn’t been consistent enough at the highest level but has bowled some memorable spells in test cricket. On his day he can make the ball talk and unsettle any batting order. His spell to Ricky Ponting at Perth is still fresh in everyone’s memory.

He also propelled India to a historic victory at Lord’s picking 7 wickets in the 2nd innings.