West Indies win toss, opt to bat against India in first Test match

Roseau [Dominica], July 12 (ANI): West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and opted to bat against India in the first Test of the two-match series.

India’s young and talented batter Yashasvi Jaiswal will open for India in his maiden test match for India. Ishan Kishan has been handed his maiden Test cap and he will be wicketkeeper for the side.  The match is being played in Dominica.
Brathwaite said at the toss that the team will work towards consistency in its performance.

“Surface is generally dry, but there’s moisture in the first hour. We had a ten-day camp in Antigua. Lara was there, that was good for our young batters. We had seen ourselves in good positions in the last WTC cycle. What we need is consistency and putting it together. Want the boys to be positive…Alick Athanaze will get a debut.”

West Indies finished 8th in the last two WTC cycles.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said the team has played some consistent cricket and made it to two WTC finals.

“We started off with Barbados, played a practice game there. We’ve had good prep here even though rain played spoilsport a little. (Learnings from previous WTC cycle) The championship final is still couple of years from now. We’ve played some consistent cricket that’s why we’ve played two finals. This is something we can take forward.

“Lot of new guys in the squad, so hopefully, we can get good perspective from the last two cycles. This cycle will be no different. (Debutants) Just want them to enjoy. They will have nerves but its our responsibility to make sure they enjoy. Those guys have the potential and I hope we can give them all the comfort and happiness they need on the ground.”

West Indies (Playing XI): Kraigg Brathwaite(c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Alick Athanaze, Joshua Da Silva(w), Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj. (ANI)