Antigua: A confident India, with a new coach at the helm, will seek to record a third consecutive Test series triumph on the Caribbean soil when the Virat Kohli-led side clashes with an inexperienced West Indies in the first cricket match, here from Thursday.
The Test will herald a new chapter in Indian cricket history as the team will take the field for the first time under new coach Anil Kumble’s guidance. More than three weeks have passed since the legendary leg-spinner assumed charge of the squad. Over this period, he has led the team through a preparatory camp and overseen two practice matches in St Kitts last week.
As such the focus now completely shifts to the field, where the Indian players will try to put in action the plans laid out by their new coach. In doing so, skipper Virat Kohli will aim to complete a hat trick of Test series wins in the Caribbean, after Rahul Dravid and M.S. Dhoni led their sides to victory in 2007 and 2011, respectively.
The slow pitches in the West Indies will test India’s resolve though. The wickets laid out in St Kitts for the two practice matches had good bounce, but slow turn for the spinners.
The pitch for this first Test seemed to throw up a surprise though. With two days to go, there were a green sprinkling of grass on the surface and could alter India’s plans regarding team composition.
