India’s tour of the West Indies kicks off on the 12th of July as Rohit Sharma and Co. look to get their first assignment of the new World Test Championship cycle underway on a positive note.
Windsor Park in Dominica will host the opening Test of the series and Team India will look to start the campaign with a win and will seek to gain inspiration from their various trips to the Caribbean in the past.
2002- Bandaged Anil Kumble dismissed Brian Lara
During India’s Test against the West Indies in the year 2002, legendary Indian leggie Anil Kumble
Kumble, who came in to bat at number 7 in the fourth Test of the series, was hit on the helmet by a Marv Dillion ripper. On further inspection, it was revealed that the ball had hit the Indian below the grill and had a massive impact on his jaw as he was seen spitting blood while the medical team tried to control the pain using ice packs.
Citing the cracked jaw, which required surgery to be remedied, Kumble was supposed to be back to India on the next flight home, but with the ball in India’s hands, the Bengaluru-born spinner walked out with a bandage around his face.
The legendary leggie started things off with a wrong one that beat iconic Windies batsman Brian Lara, and continued to puzzle him with the spin the track offered.
But, Kumble’s brilliance with the ball came to the fore as trapped the legendary left-handed batsman in front of the wicket with an exceptional delivery.
The Indian physio Andrew Leipus revealed that he was surprised by Kumble’s decision to go back out onto the field in the condition he was in as the crack went straight through the jaw with his teeth being separated too.
Leipus, who has had his tryst with Australian rules football known for the physical toll it can take on one’s body, even went on to say that Kumble’s determination to go out and help his team despite the injury was beyond believable.
Kumble continued to bowl a long spell troubling the Windies batsman with each and every delivery of the ball off his magic right hand. The performance was marked by WI legend Sir Vivian Richards’ words of appreciation for the Indian spinner as he said, “It was one of the bravest things I’ve seen on-field.”
Watch Kumble’s iconic performance on JioCinema
2019- 1st Test: Rahane Masterclass
Fast forward to the year 2019 when India started off their tour of the Windie at the North Sound in Antigua, at the Stadium named after Sir Richards.
India opted for a four-man bowling unit, which did not include the spin stalwart Ravichandran Ashwin.
WI pacers Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel were cutting through the Indian batting order before an Ajinkya Rahane masterclass that took the game away from the Windies.
The Indian batsman made 81 runs to stabilise the Indian innings before rain curtailed play on Day 1. Ravindra Jadeja took the charge on with his 11th Test half-century deep in the innings as India were bundled out for 297 runs.
But, the WI batting unit did not have answers to the Indian seamer Ishant Sharma’s question as he registered a five-fer to restrict the Windies to a score of 222 in their first innings as India went in to bat in the second innings with a lead of 75 runs.
India’s second innings at the crease encompassed another batting masterclass from the reliable Rahane as he notched up a brilliant ton. He was supported ably by Hanuman Vihari, who made 98 runs before his dismissal, while then-skipper Virat Kohli chipped in with a half-ton.
India declared after scoring 343 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the second innings and left WI with a mountain to climb.
The men from the Caribbean tried their best but were no match for the Indian pace attack once again as Jasprit Bumrah joined in on the act with his splendid performance with the ball to wrap the WI innings up at just 100.
Bumrah’s craft at swing bowling came to public eye in a performance which rewarded the seamer with a five-wicket haul as Ishant Sharma added three to his tally.
Rahane was adjudged man of the match for his exploits with the willow, but with the 318-run win, India had put in an all-round performance to open the tour with aplomb.
Watch the top performance on JioCinema
2019- 2nd Test: Bumrah to the forefront
The second Test in the Caribbean was yet another demolition job by the unchanged Indian unit led by Kohli, which wrapped up the series in style.
Rakheem Cornwall struck for the Windies with his dismissal of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal but Kohli’s 76 and Vihari’s exceptional ton put India in a good position on Day 1 before Ishant notched up a rare fifty on Day 2 to lead India to a mammoth 416 runs.
Bumrah continued to toy with the Windies batsmen in the second Test of the series too as he claimed six wickets in the first innings and accentuated the solid show with a hattrick as WI were bundled out for 117 runs.
Rahane and Vihari registered 64 and 53 runs respectively in the second innings before declaring at 168-4 and leaving WI with a mountain to climb with 467 to chase.
The Indian bowling unit finished the job for the side as Jadeja and Mohammed Shami ended the game with three wickets each, while Ishant picked up two and Bumrah scalped one. Watch India’s domination on JioCinema
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