3 reasons why the Barbados Test will be crucial for West Indies cricket

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West Indies are 1-0 up in the 3 match Test series against Sri Lanka

The three-match Test series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka is about to reach its business end with the hosts 1-0 up after the first two Tests.

After dominating the first Test at Trinidad and thrashing the visitors by 226 runs, the hosts managed to save the second Test at St. Lucia courtesy a gutsy innings by Kraigg Brathwaite who scored 59 runs of 172 balls, and later, rain came to their rescue.

The third Test gets underway on 23rd June 2018, at Barbados. While the visitors will be disappointed that they could not get over the finishing line in St. Lucia, they will have to play the Test at Barbados without their skipper Dinesh Chandimal who has been suspended for the Test due to ball tampering charges.

West Indies on the other end have played positive cricket in the series and the likes of Brathwaite, Devon Smith, Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich have scored runs at crucial stages in the series. The bowling has been really impressed with the trio of Shanon Gabriel, Kemar Roach and Miguel Cummins picking up wickets at regular intervals. Skipper Jason Holder is playing the perfect supporting role for the pacers and has impressed with the bat too.

West Indies will go in as the favourites in the Barbados Test and will look to clinch the 3 match Test series. Here is a look as to why the Barbados Test will be a special one for the West Indies cricket team:

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#3 No Test series win against Sri Lanka in 15 years:

West Indies' captain Brian Lara (L) driv
West Indies last beat Sri Lanka in a Test series in 2003

The year 2003 was the last time when West Indies beat Sri Lanka in a Test series. Since then West Indies and Sri Lanka have played 4 Test series with Sri Lanka winning two and the other two ending in draws.

If West Indies beat Sri Lanka at Barbados or even manage to hold on to a draw, the men from the Caribbean islands will have their first victory over Sri Lanka in a Test series in 15 years.

Till date, in 19 Tests between both the nations, West Indies have won only 4 Tests, Sri Lanka have triumphed in 8 and 7 have been draws. In 8 Test series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka, West Indies have won 2 series, Sri Lanka have won 3 and remaining 3 series have been draws.

A win in the Test series against Sri lanka would mean a lot to the West Indies team who are languishing at number 9 in the Test rankings.

#2 Hosting a Day-Night Test

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West Indies will be hosting its first ever day-night Test at Barbados

The Barbados Test will be a historical one for the West Indies as it will its first ever day-night Test as hosts and 10th overall in the history of Test cricket.

Since its inception in the year 2015, day-night Tests have gained immense popularity and support from the cricketing world. Till date, nine day-night Tests have been played and all of them have produced results, benefiting Test cricket in the process.

Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan (in Dubai) have hosted day-night Tests and West Indies will be the sixth Test-playing nation to host one.

The West Indies have played two day-night Tests against Pakistan and England and have lost both. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have played a solitary day-night Test against Pakistan and have triumphed in that encounter.

Playing a Test under lights and bowling with the pink ball at Barbados might help the West Indies pacers who have bowled exceptionally well in the Test series so far.

West Indies will look to create history by winning their first ever day-night Test and eventually the Test series.

#1 Win over a major Test playing nation:

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West Indies will look to win the Test series against Sri Lanka at Barbados

In the last 8 years since 2010, West Indies have played 26 Test series and have triumphed in only 6 series, losing 17 and drawing 3.

Out of the 6 series have in the last 8 years, 3 wins have been against Bangladesh, 2 against Zimbabwe and 1 against New Zealand in the year 2012.

Thus, the last time West Indies won against a major Test playing nation was New Zealand, 6 years ago, and since then series wins have eluded the men from the Caribbean islands against major Test playing nations.

The record is more dismal for the last 15 Test series with West Indies managing to win only 2 series i.e. against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and losing 12 series.

A win against Sri Lanka in the Test series will be a huge boost for West Indies cricket. It is vital that Test cricket stays alive in the Caribbean islands and crowds are attracted back to the stadiums to watch the game.

Hopefully, the Barbados Test will be a welcome change for the fans in the West Indies to see their team who is 1-0 up in the 3 match series to win the Test series in a match to be played under lights.

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Edited by Aadya Sharma