West Indies vs India 2019: Four Positives For India From The Test Series

India completed another whitewash against West Indies as they beat the host by 257 runs in the second Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica. As a result, Virat Kohli & Co has made a solid start in the ICC World Test Championship.

The top-ranked Test team produced a thorough effort throughout the series. The bowlers backed the hardwork put in the by the batsmen in both the Test. Skipper Virat Kohli will be very proud of his boys how they have set the tone for the World Test Championship. Moreover, Kohli also became the most successful Indian Test captain with 28 wins.

Read More: Virat Kohli’s Backing Gives A Lot Of Self Confidence, Says Jasprit Bumrah

There have been plenty of positive outcomes for India from this series which they will take back home. India play South Africa next in a three-match series at home. They will be keen to work on these fronts and strengthen it more ahead of tougher challenges that lie ahead.

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We at Cricket Addictor will take a look at the four positives for India from the recently concluded Test against West Indies:

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1. Ajinkya Rahane reinventing himself with the bat

Ajinkya Rahane has struggled for runs in the last few series and many questioned his place in the playing XI. But he had the backing of his skipper who believed in his abilities and Rahane justified his selection with tons of runs against West Indies.

Most importantly, Rahane has scored runs when the chips were down for India. In the first Test, he played a valuable knock of 81 runs after West Indies reduced the visitors to 25 for three. He backed it with a century in the second essay to set up a convincing win.

The second innings was the repetition of the same when he scored an unbeaten fifty after Kemar Roach wreaked havoc in the top-order. Rahane will get his confidence back which will boost India’s middle-order with the South Africa series lined up.

2. Jasprit Bumrah growing in stature in Test

When Jasprit Bumrah landed in the international arena, many tagged him a T20 bowler. The fast bowler from Gujarat has proved everyone wrong and is currently the third-ranked Test bowler in the world.

Since making his debut in 2018, Bumrah has gone from strength to strength. Only in his 12th Tests, he is leading India pace attack and the West Indies series made things more evident. Bumrah returned with 13 wickets in the series including two fifers and a hat-trick.

He became the third Indian bowler to scale a hat-trick after Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan. Virat Kohli lavishly praised him after the series and said they are lucky to have him on their side. Bumrah’s growth in stature will be crucial for India in the ICC World Test Championship.

Read More: Maturity Shown By Ajinkya Rahane And Hanuma Vihari Is Good For India – Sachin Tendulkar

3. Hanuma Vihari announcing himself in the middle-order

The introduction of Hanuma Vihari in the Test team has strengthened India’s middle-order. He has done a spectacular job scoring two fifties and a century against West Indies and shunned all his critics.

The cricketer from Andhra started the tour on a good note with a fighting knock after India lost wickets early. He backed it with a 92-run knock in the second innings of the Antigua Test. Vihari continued his form with a century in the next Test backed by an unbeaten half-century.

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The middle-order batsman finished as the highest run-scorer with 289 runs. Vihari has shown the determination and patience needed to succeed in the Test circuit. This will certainly be a boost for team India in the middle-order with tougher opponents lined up.

4. Ishant Sharma’s improvement with the bat in the lower-order

Ishant Sharma has always been a handy customer with the bat in the lower-order. His ability to stick in with the batters gave him good stead beside his credibility as a fast bowler in the longer format of the game.

Meanwhile, Ishant has really grown as a batsman in the series against West Indies. The cricketer from Delhi has chipped with valuable contributions in the lower-order in both the Tests. The veteran fast bowler played vital knock in the first innings of the Antigua Test when the chips were down for India.

He then backed it with his maiden Test half-century in Jamaica stitching a useful partnership with Hanuma Vihari. Ishant’s contribution with the bat in the lower-order will boost India to field an additional bowler when conditions demand.

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