After steamrolling past West Indies in the 1st Test by an innings and 141 runs, India will be shifting their focus to the 2nd Test match. The match will be played at Port of Spain and is slated to begin from 20th July 2023.
Yashasvi Jaiswal had a dream debut in national colours as he smashed a century on debut. The 21-year-old prodigious batter scored 171 runs and made his presence felt at the highest level in quick time.
Skipper Rohit Sharma too got his bearings right and he scored a century. Unarguably the world’s best batter of all formats, Virat Kohli too got into the groove and scored 76 runs in 182 balls.
West Indies will have to punch above their weight if they are to topple a world-class side like India.
In this article, we take a look at 5 players to watch out for in the 2nd Test between India and West Indies at Port of Spain:
1. Ravichandran Ashwin (India)
Wily off-spinner of India, Ravichandran Ashwin bagged 12 wickets in the 1st Test at Dominica. He simply spun a web and ran through the batting order of West Indies like a cat on a midnight frenzy.
He also became India’s second-highest wicket-taker in international cricket, as he crossed former legendary bowler and now cricket-pundit, Harbhajan Singh.
If the wickets are spin-friendly, Ashwin can once again run riot with the red-cherry.
2. Alick Athanaze (West Indies)
Spin-bowling all-rounder Alick Athanaze had a decent outing in his home ground at Dominica. The 24-year-old cricketer emerged out as the highest run-scorer of West Indies across both innings as he mustered 75 runs and he also took 1 wicket.
He will be one of the key players of West Indies, going into the 2nd Test.
3. Ishan Kishan (India)
Even though wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan didn’t quite get an opportunity to showcase his skills in the 1st Test, he was an integral part of the Indian cricket team. He displayed good keeping skills and kept raising the energy levels of the team from behind the stumps.
Going forward into the 2nd Test at Port of Spain, Kishan can prove to be lethal with the blade.
4. Virat Kohli (India)
If a young cricketer is watching the game between these two sides, then they should pin their eyeballs on Team India batter, Virat Kohli. The legendary cricketer displayed application with the bat and didn’t take any undue risks.
He scored a patient knock of 76 runs and made life uncomfortable for the West Indies bowlers.
5. Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies)
Even though West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite had a dismal outing with the bat in the 1st Test where he scored only 27 runs, his performances in the 2nd Test will be quite important.
He needs to lead the home side from the front and inspire his boys to perform well in front of a dominant juggernaut like India.
Also read: 3 Reasons Why Ravichandran Ashwin Can Finish As The Highest Wicket Taker Of India
