Can Team India replicate their white-ball dominance in Test cricket?:Shubman Gill’s men to face West Indies, 1st Test begins today in Ahmedabad

The Indian team proved its mettle under the captaincy of Shubman Gill as a new captain without the pillars of India’s golden generation, i.e., Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R. Ashwin, and Cheteshwar Pujara’s presence on the field. Now, the last of the five pillars, Ravindra Jadeja, will serve as the vice-captain for the two-match Test series against West Indies. With a relatively young squad backing him, India’s all-rounder will step into the new shoes of being a vice-captain against the West Indies. However, there will be pressure on him and Gill, as India lost its last home series against New Zealand in 2024 by 0-3, breaking the Men in Blue’s home dominance in Tests that had lasted almost a decade, with a streak of 18 wins since 2012. After almost a year of the sting of a clean sweep at home from New Zealand, India will look to regain its lost glory in home Tests. Can the rising star, Shubman Gill, with the last pillar of the golden generation, Jadeja by his side, kick off another home domination in Test after England heroics? Last pillar of golden generation- Ravindra Jadeja The last time Jadeja held the major responsibility of being a captain was with the Chennai Super Kings, which was later handed to Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Meanwhile, in domestic cricket, he held the role of vice-captain last in 2008 for the Indian team in the ICC Under-19 World Cup winning team. But he is a versatile player with over 300+ wickets and 3800+ runs in 85 Test matches. Jadeja has evolved over his career with proven batting and bowling performances. IND vs WI 1st Test – Match details What: India vs West Indies, 1st Test When: 2-6 October Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad Time: Toss 9 AM IST, match begins 9:30 AM IST India’s selection dilemma – Kuldeep or Axar? The Indian squad for the West Indies tour is pretty much similar to the one that played in England. Karun Nair and Abhimanyu Easwaran have been left out, while Devdutt Padikkal and N Jagadeesan have been picked in the team. While the playing XI is more or less confirmed, there are two positions that will be up for grabs. It remains to be seen whether the Indian team will opt for Axar Patel’s all-round prowess or will they favour Kuldeep Yadav after his 17 Asia Cup wickets. Nitish Kumar Reddy is also in the running, but it remains to be seen how many pacers India will play. Narendra Modi Stadium – Pitch report According to recent reports, a red-soil pitch with a green surface is being prepared. There has been plenty of grass on the pitch, which could assist both spinners and pacers. Out of 15 Tests played here, four have been won by sides batting first, four by sides batting second, and seven have ended in draws. Winning the toss, teams are likely to bat first. IND vs WI 1st Test – Ahmedabad weather The first Test could see a bit of rain on the first day; there is a slight chance of downpour on day 1, but the remaining days will see clear skies up above.