WIN vs IND | West Indies predicted XI for final Test match of India’s tour
Having lost both the limited overs’ series as well as the opening Test by a huge margin, West Indies will be looking to retain some pride by drawing level in the Test series and opening their account in the World Test C’ships. They will most likely go ahead with a similar lineup bar a change or two.
Openers
Kraigg Brathwaite
One of the few proven Test players in the team, Braithwaite’s dismal string of performances is quickly becoming a cause of concern for the team. Having failed to record a half-century in his recent outing to England before failing to have any impact in the first Test, his past credentials will keep his place in the team secure but he needs to bounce back to form before time runs out.
John Campbell
Even though he managed to keep his place in the team for the first Test after lacklustre performances in England, the lack of another specialist opener will most likely see him getting another lifeline. However, the clock is ticking and the 25-year-old will need to do much more than what he did in the opening Test to stay in contention for the playing XI spot in the future.
Middle-order
Shamarh Brooks
The 30-year-old would not not have dreamt of such a disastrous debut, barely managing to get to even double scores on having broken into the team after quite a long wait. If his domestic statistics are anything to go by, it shouldn’t be long before he starts making headlines unless the pressure of international cricket proves to be too much for him.
Darren Bravo
As has been the case for most of the team’s top and middle-order, Bravo has in recent matches failed to showcase his abilities to their full extent on the pitch and the same pattern has carried over into the series, as was reflected in a combined 30 runs from two innings in the first test. The player will have to bank on his experience and show his team the way considering he is one of the team’s most capped players at the moment.
Shai Hope
The 26-year-old in straight forward terms is the player with the most potential in the team when it comes to batting, as he has shown in the past in both red and white-ball cricket. He will have to start converting his starts into big scores if the Windies are to have any chance of turning the tables against the world’s number one side.
Shimron Hetmyer
While his record would state that he has been in a good vein of form with five half-centuries in the 13 Tests he has played so far, everyone who has watched the youngster play knows how much more he has in his locker. It has become a habit of his to throw away his wicket after getting his eyes set and will have to keep control of his temperament if he is to survive for long in the format.
All-rounders
Roston Chase
He is the team’s key player around whom the whole team’s performance has been seen to resolve over the past few-months. He was the only Windies player to reach double digits in both the innings of the first Test while also coming away with six wickets in an all-round performance that has now become typical of him. He is capable of winning matches single-handedly given his wide array of talents and will need to be kept in check by the visitors to end the tour on a high.
Jason Holder(c)
The skipper has been in phenomenal form over the last year, which saw him deservedly being named the country’s Test cricketer of the Year just ahead of the start of the first Test. The world’s top-ranked all-rounder will have to lead by example and perform to the best of his abilities to record what will be termed as an upset considering the many woes that surround his team’s performances.
Keemo Paul
With some minor injuries keeping him out of action in the series opener, the team’s youngest player will be eager to take the field and use the platform to show what he’s capable of against the world’s best team. Replacing Miguel Cummins with him would be a no-brainer considering he failed to pick up even a single wicket in the first match while also lacking the batting skills that Paul possesses.Â
Bowlers
Kemar Roach
He has been the most consistent performer for the Caribbean side regardless of conditions or the opponent. He was constant trouble for the Indian team in the first match, especially with the new ball as the batsmen failed to judge which way he is going to swing the ball at any given point of time. The team’s strike bowler is closing in on 200 wickets in the format and will be looking forward to displaying the lethality in full-flow he has become so known for over the years.Â
Shannon Gabriel
The 31-year-old has shown that he is capable of leading the pace attack against the most menacing of batsmen and use his height and pace to dismantle the opposition batsman at will when in form. The fact that he can swing the ball both ways and has been quite consistent throughout his career spells danger for India and he will be asked to work in harmony with Roach to cripple India’s world-class batting lineup early to provide his team with a chance.