India’s Probable XI against West Indies: Sportsrush presents before you India’s Probable XI for the first Test against West Indies.
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In which commence West Indies’ tour of India 2018, the first Test will be played at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot, from the day after tomorrow, i.e., October 4. With the Indian squad been announced on this weekend, it is the most apt time to go through what will be India’s Probable XI in the first Test.
The full tour comprises of two Test matches, five ODIs and three T20Is. After Rajkot, teams will head to Hyderabad for the second Test, which will start from October 12.
Below is India’s Probable Playing XI for the first Test against West Indies:
1. Top-order – Having scored his fifth Test century against England at The Oval, Lokesh Rahul is all set to open the innings for India. Rahul, who averages 38.53 in 29 Tests, would be wanting to continue on his good form and improve these numbers.
In which is a good confusion to have for the Indian team, they would be figuring out regarding whom to hand a Test debut. For the second opener’s position, India have two newbies in Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal. Shaw had been named in the squad for the last three Test against England, whereas Agarwal has received a maiden call-up.
In 14 First-class matches, Shaw averages 56.72. On the other hand, in 43 matches, Agarwal averages 50.32. Both the batsmen have come out with fruitful returns in the last year or so. If probability suggests that both have an equal chance to be picked, the buzz states that Shaw might just get a go ahead of Agarwal as it should be for he was picked in the squad ahead of Agarwal.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who averages 62.42 in 34 Test matches at home, will solidify the Indian batting line-up at No. 3.
- Middle-order – In captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, India have a couple of world-class batsmen in the middle-order. If Kohli was instrumental in England, Rahane was just another mediocre batsmen, doing lesser than what his potential had promised.
These two Test matches are crucial for Rahane, not for any other reason but to just build his own confidence ahead of the Australia tour. In the 20 Test matches which Rahane has played at home, he has scored 1,019 runs at an average of 32.87. Numbers which he would also be looking to set right.
Hanuma Vihari, who scored a maiden half-century on debut at The Oval, is likely to bat at No. 6 at Rajkot. Kohli would also be looking to make use of his part-time off-spin. Rishabh Pant will continue to don the wicket-keeping gloves in Test matches.
3. Bowlers – After all doubts regarding his participation in the series due to an injury put to rest, Ashwin will be awaiting to bowl once again on the Indian wickets. His partner in Ravindra Jadeja, who made a praiseworthy comeback in both ODIs and T20Is last month, would be looking forward to attack the opposition with both the bat and the ball on his home ground.
The Indian pace attack is highly likely to comprise of Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav. The latter has been a tad unlucky this year when it comes to getting opportunities in Tests outside the sub-continent.
For someone who played 12 Tests in a season at home on flat pitches and picked up 30 wickets at an average of 36.76, an economy rate of 3.09 and a strike rate of 71.1, getting to play only one overseas (out of eight) match this year is hard done by. Yadav would be looking forward to register figures which might force the team management to not ignore him in the upcoming tour of Australia.
Below are some of the tweets on India-West Indies Test series ahead of the first match:
