India have romped their way home to victory against West Indies in the 1st Test in four days, in the process claiming their biggest innings victory outside Asia, and their first in the Caribbean. Coach Anil Kumble had his camera out as the match was brought to a close, the visitors starting the four-match series off with a win by an innings and 92 runs, and Kumble starting off his tenure with a match which had many positives.
The two teams meet again for a second encounter at Sabina Park in Jamaica starting from Saturday. While the hosts have some serious thinking to do to get a footing back in the series, the visitors may be said to have the luxury of rotating the squad according to the conditions provided.
The most talked about issues from the Antigua Test, a great beginning to the Kohli-Kumble era in Indian cricket –
# 1 – Glaring defects in West Indies’ team selection
There are very few points of similarities between the West Indian side that is taking on India in the Test series and the one that was crowned world champions of the T20 format earlier this year in India. While T20 stalwarts like Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo are not available for selection in the Test team, there is still much scope for the current side to be tinkered with.
The hosts made a glaring mistake in the 1st Test of going in with only one genuinely fast pacer, Shannon Gabriel, who despite being the most troublesome bowler, bowled only 21 overs, less than even part-timer Roston Chase’s quota of overs. Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite’s 135kph pace was often found not probing enough to pair up capably enough with Gabriel with the new ball, and it seem they are part of the team more because of their batting capabilities.
Selectors clearly do not keep much faith with the middle order, and one batsman needs to be dropped to accommodate a second wicket taking bowler – a genuine quick of the ilk of Gabriel, or a spinner like Jomel Warrican if a drier wicket is on offer. If the opposition is allowed to bat for two days the game is lost even before it is begun.
# 2 – KL Rahul to continue sitting out, unless Vijay injury proved series
Shikhar Dhawan has secured his place over KL Rahul with a commanding display on the first day, scoring a fluent 84. Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are also likely to retain their places, which means that Rahul and Rohit Sharma will continue to be on the bench despite having scored fifties on all their innings in the warm-up matches.
However, there is a slight worry about Murali Vijay’s availability, with him not having come out to field, Rahul doing substitute duty in his place. Vijay had been struck on his hand during the batting innings, and the seriousness of the injury is not known. Raul sustained the effects of a full bloodied sweep while standing at short leg as well, as play was called to a halt, but he recovered to field again, a little further away from the bat.
The bowlers put up a great effort in the 1st Test, but there remains the possibility that Ravindra Jadeja will be played as the third spinner in place of a third seamer on a drier wicket.
# 3 – Record breaker Ashwin pips record breaker Kohli to Man of the Match award
Ravichandran Ashwin has had a surprisingly disappointing T20 season so far in 2016, but he was back to his supreme best on a return to the Test arena. His century in the batting innings took India’s score to beyond respectable and towards the imposing total which allowed for an innings victory. Before his partnership with Kohli, there was a chance that they would be dismissed on the first day under 300.
He went wicketless in the first innings, and also till lunch on the fourth day, but found the groove as play resumed after the 45-minute break, snaring five wickets in the second session, within a period of 51 balls. He finished off the match early in the third session by taking two wickets in the same over. His double of 7 wickets and a century in the same Test puts him in a rare list in cricket’s hall of fame.
Ashwin was named Man of the Match for his feat. Incidentally, the last Indian spinner before Ashwin to have won a Man of the Match award outside Asia was Anil Kumble in 2007 vs England at The Oval. Ashwin also became the first indian to have done the double of a century and 5 wicket haul in a match twice, only Ian Botham has done this feat more times.
One hopes there are bigger contests to come in this series than the Kohli vs Ashwin contest for the Man of the Match awards.
# 4 – Shami sears West Indies on comeback trail
When Mohammed Shami was wheeling away to celebrate after having taken the first West Indies wicket of the match, he was having a chance to do so after one year, six months, and 13 days. Justifiably, he began his typical finger-wagging celebration and then as the moment hit him, gave out a leap and a scream.
What followed in the spell was a treat for the Indian fan – a fast bowler bowling with venomous pace and bounce at will on a reasonably good batting wicket at the erstwhile home of fast bowling.He bowled on a perfect off stump line, varying his length for added effect, demolishing the West Indies middle order and whatever hope there was of an even contest.
With his four wickets, Shami had taken 15 West Indies wickets in three matches against them and it was clear that the Caribbean batsmen still had figured out no better way to play Shami than when he floored them on his debut in 2013. One noticeable change in Shami was a much shorter run up than before his injury lay-off, something that perhaps allowed him to generate more bounce.
# 5 – Kohli’s energy, disagreements with umpire
Captain Virat Kohli had said in the pre-match press conference that the batsmen would have to take up extra responsibility to accommodate a fifth bowler in the team. By the time the first day’s play had come to an end, it was clear that he would be the person to take that extra responsibility on in the first match. He raced to his maiden double century in any format, perhaps the first of many.
The ease with which Kohli got his runs suggests that an even bigger score is to come from his bat before the current tour is through. As captain too, Kohli was always in the picture, keeping the players on their toes with his quips and encouragements.
He had two expressive shows of disagreement with umpire Ian Gould however. On the second day Kohli wanted an extra over to be sneaked in before stumps were drawn, but the umpire brought his walkie-talkie out as the Indian fielders lost some time in bringing out a helmet for an extra close-in fielder for nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo, and decided that it was out of the question. Kohli gestured animatedly while leading his team off.
On the third day, the contentious issue came about because a caught behind decision went in favour of batsman Marlon Samuels because there were no conclusive video evidence. Kohli was seen gesturing to the umpires, cupping his hands to show Saha’s catching technique. He was seen having an animated talk with Kumble on the boundary ropes about it too, gesturing similarly. Even in the lunch break, the players were seen poring over the replay of the catch on a computer screen, indicating that the decision has caused much uproar.
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