India v West Indies 2nd Test Preview: West Indies Need To Up Batting Ante

The second West Indies versus India Test match, to be played at Bridgetown in Barbados, will be a crucial one for the home team. The match begins from June 28.

The West Indies are one down, and though they did try to run the Indians close in the first game, at no stage in the game did they look like the match was within their grasp.

This will need to change. West Indies will need to show aggression while batting in the manner that they did on occasions, but more than that, it will require the home team to bat long periods of time. In the first match, the West Indian team batted less than 70 overs in each of the innings, which is a total of less than five sessions of batting – hardly anything to write home about.

There has, as a result, been a casualty. Brendan Nash, appointed as a vice-captain for the series, has now been dropped and in his place, comes in Kirk Edwards. Marlon Samuels will join the playing eleven though.

The bowling has been penetrative for West Indies but lacks depth. They go in with four bowlers, of which, captain Darren Sammy, a medium-pace chugger is one. It hardly makes for a good recipe to bowl sides out. On a relatively easier pitch, West Indies could run into issues.

India would also be looking at their batting. Barring Rahul Dravid, the man of the match from the first game, and Suresh Raina’s fighting 80 in the first innings, none of the other top-order batsmen added much value. VVS Laxman would be the most disappointed, but possesses the tenacity to fight back.

It is the likes of Vijay, Mukund and Kohli who need big ones under their belt.

The bowling attack could see a change if Munaf Patel recovers from his injury, but most importantly, the Indians will need to decide on a three-pace-one spin versus two-pace-two-spin strategy.

India versus West Indies 2nd Test from Barbados from June 28. The India versus West Indies 2nd Test will be shown live on Ten Cricket in India.