IND vs WI highlights, 1st Test Match Day 1: India 121/2 at stumps, trail West Indies by 41 runs in Ahmedabad

Siraj gets the early breakthrough for India. Just a little bit of movement down the leg side, Chanderpaul looks to follow it and nicks it to the keeper. Dhruv Jurel takes a stunning catch. Chanderpaul bags a 11-ball duck on his Test return.

John Campbell completes 1000 Test runs with a couple of lovely boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah's bowling.

Earlier, Siraj bowled a maiden.

WI: 12 for 0 after Over No 3 (John Campbell 8(12) Tagenarine Chanderpaul 0(6))

So, a boundary to begin West Indies' scoring on this tour.

Full and swinging in down leg. Campbell misses his flick on the inside edge. The ball kisses the front pad and flies past diving Jurel to his right for a boundary.

Four legbyes from Bumrah's first over.

WI: 4/0 after Over No - 1 (John Campbell 0(6), Tagenarine Chanderpaul 0(0))

The umpires walk towards their positions, the Indian team is in a last minute huddle.

The opening batters Tagenarine Chanderpaul and John Campbell step into the middle.

Jasprit Bumrah to start the proceedings for India.

West Indies last beat India in a Test in May 2002 - 23 years and 25 Tests ago.

On being appointed vice-captain: "It's quite special for me as a player. The captain, coach and management has decided to give me the responsibility. Whenever the team needed anything regarding team planning or whatever so I am always happy.

"They didn't say anything to me. I just saw VC written next to my name when the team was announced. End of the day whatever experience you have to share you do it for the team."

Takeaways from England tour: "As a player I gain my confidence. Whenever you perform in England you get the confidence. Hopefully I can continue and take forward that confidence into this series. Score some runs and taking some wickets.

"We wanted to play our brand of cricket. We are not thinking about how they're going to play. We want to set our benchmark high so we'll keep play according to that."

India Playing XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

West Indies Playing XI: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Roston Chase (c), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Jayden Seales

"Yes, definitely. I think we have 4 Test matches at home this summer and we want to win all four of them. Preparations have been good. A couple of days of good practice. The boys have been doing well.

It looks like a good surface. Not disappointed on losing the toss.

We have gone with 3 spinners, 2 fast bowlers - Boom bhai (Jasprit Bumrah) and Siraj, and an all-rounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy. The spinners are Jaddu bhai (Ravindra Jadeja), Kuldeep and Washington Sundar."

Roston Chase (West Indies Captain): "We are gonna bat first. Looks a good one with a bit of moisture but it's gonna be a good Test wicket.

Looking for the guys to play out and play some positive cricket, don't be timid against this Indian side. Just come and fight for the Test Championship points and go up the table.

We don't want to be batting last on this wicket. We have made individual plans. Playing a lot of sweep and using a feet lot more to nullify the spin.

We have 2 orthodox seamers, 2 orthodox spinners, one allrounder and myself to bowl."

West Indies opt to bat first.

This will be the first time since November 2010 that India will take the field without either Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin or Rohit Sharma in a home Test match.

Deep Dasgupta: "It is time for the whites to come out, and it is time for the red ball to come out as we gather at the grandest cricket stadium in the world. This is the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. For the start of India's home summer, India take on West Indies in the first of the two-match Test series. Daren Ganga is alongside me. The uniqueness of this pitch or square lies in the number of soil types available. What do you make of this pitch?"

Daren Ganga: "Before talking about the pitch, a bit of history for you. The first ever Test match played at this venue was against West Indies in 1983. So, this is somewhat of a homecoming for the Windies. Indian cricket has become more versatile. If you go to my left, there are as many as 5 pitches that are made of black soil. To my right side, of course, they are red-soiled pitches. There is a pitch which is mixed with both black and red soils. The pitch we are going to play this game on, though, is a red-soiled surface. This will bind faster as less water is held. The ingredients of this pitch are though as a curator can allow you to gear it upto a spin-friendly track or gear it down to favour the seamers. There is an even covering of grass. To be honest, more significant coverage of grass than we had here in the past. Seamers will have something in it for them. We have had overcast weather, too. That will enhance the ball to swing. It is not only about conventional swing, but also about the reverse swing that we can expect here. This surface will definitely allow a fierce contest between bat and ball. It will turn as we progress in this Test match. So for me it is an excellent cricket pitch to start the first of a Test match."

Deep Dasgupta: "For me, as you mentioned, it is a red-soiled surface with a nice covering of grass. and on the touch, it feels slightly cold. There is some moisture as well. It shouldn't surprise you if the captain winning the toss opts to bowl because it looks like a spicy first session pitch. There is something in it for the seamers with the overcast conditions and rain hovering around."

The sun rises on a new chapter for Indian Test cricket in Ahmedabad as Shubman Gill leads the team for the first time at home, with a struggling West Indies standing in their way. While India enter as overwhelming favourites, this opening clash of the new World Test Championship cycle carries undertones of transition and survival.

All eyes will be on India’s evolving batting order. With senior names missing, the onus falls on youngsters like Sai Sudharsan to anchor the middle order and translate domestic dominance into international runs. The ability of this next generation to deliver in pressure situations will define India’s innings stability.

The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium adds further intrigue. A grassy red-soil surface promises assistance for the seamers, making Jasprit Bumrah’s much-awaited return to Test cricket a major talking point. His opening burst against the West Indies top order could shape the rhythm of the match even before the first lunch break.

For the visitors, the challenge is as old as Caribbean tours to India — how to survive spin. An inexperienced middle order, led by Shai Hope, must withstand the probing questions posed by Ravindra Jadeja and the returning Kuldeep Yadav. If the West Indies resist, they can prolong the contest; if not, it may be another lopsided affair.

The key duel to watch is Gill versus Jayden Seales. Should Gill ride out the early swing and lay a solid foundation, India are primed for dominance. If he falters, West Indies may sniff an opening. On paper, India are favourites to cruise — but the first morning will reveal whether this script allows room for surprises.

Shubman Gill made it clear that he wants India’s home Tests to be a test of patience and skill rather than quick three-day finishes. “Over the past few years, Test matches in India haven’t really lasted for five days. We are looking to play some good hard cricket. We wouldn’t be looking for any easy options,” the skipper underlined, noting that spin and reverse swing will still be India’s biggest weapons.

Shubman Gill, ahead of his first home Test as captain, hinted that India will move away from the rank turners favoured under Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. “We would be looking to play on wickets that offer help to both batters and bowlers,” Gill said, stressing his preference for truer surfaces that can stretch matches into the fifth day, much like India’s famous 2-2 draw in England earlier this year.

Ravindra Jadeja needs 114 runs to complete a double of 300 wickets and 4000 runs in Tests. Only Kapil Dev, Ian Botham and Daniel Vettori have done that previously

India had won 18 consecutive home Test series between 2012/13 and 2024/25 - a streak broken by NZ last year (0-3). The next best streak is 10 for Australia -- twice -- 1994/95 - 2000/01 & 2004 - 2008/09

India and West Indies have contested in 10 bilateral series in the 21st century. WI won the five-match home series in 2002 by 2-1, while India won each of the next nine. WI haven't defeated India in a Test post those two wins in that 2002 series

West Indies captain Roston Chase was born in March 1992. By that time, the West Indies were unbeaten in a Test series for 16 years, a run that lasted until the 1994-95 series against Australia.

“Champion outfit,” “legends,” “greats,” were the words he would have grown up listening to as he took his first steps and heard stories about the aura surrounding West Indies cricket.

The side he will be leading out on the park on Thursday is ranked eighth. He knows his side will be up against it.

“Obviously we’re not in a good position right now in terms of our Test status, and we are kind of low on the WTC table, but we have to put that behind us,” Chase told the media on match-eve.

“New Zealand came last year and dominated India, so we are really trying to learn from what they did. The analyst has sent the footage of the New Zealand series, and we really zoned in on the critical points that we want to focus on. I’ve played in India before, and I know that its spinfriendly conditions. Spinners may have to bowl more of the overs,” Chase specified.

India’s workload management policy surrounding Jasprit Bumrah sparked debate during the five-match Test series in England, where Bumrah had stated beforehand that he would only be able to play in three of the five games. Some even criticised the move.

For a player who skipped Test matches and then played in the T20 Asia Cup, which many consider a low-hanging fruit, Bumrah’s management has triggered even more intrigue.

Indian skipper Shubman Gill was asked if Bumrah would play both Tests against the West Indies. Gill’s answer was unspecific. “We’re going to take a call on a match-tomatch basis depending on how long a Test match goes on and how many overs our fast bowlers bowl,” he said.

With the No. 3 slot still unsettled, India’s batting template remains a work in progress. Sai Sudharsan was expected to anchor that role but a shoulder niggle could open the door for Devdutt Padikkal. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are set in stone at the top, while captain Gill returns to No. 4, where he was prolific in England. Lower down, Dhruv Jurel’s promotion to No. 5 could allow India to field four frontline spinners without compromising batting depth — a bold yet logical gamble. Kuldeep Yadav, overlooked in England, is back in contention to provide the wrist-spin variety India sorely missed. These tweaks underline India’s readiness to experiment, but always with the WTC points table in mind.

The Narendra Modi Stadium surface tells its own story. A red-soil pitch with a thick covering of grass is India’s statement of intent — pace up front, spin later. It is a calculated correction from past missteps, offering Gill the flexibility to unleash Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj early, before letting the likes of Jadeja, Axar, Sundar, and Kuldeep take charge as the match wears on. This balance between pace and spin also signals a shift away from desperation tracks, ensuring India dictate terms rather than react to them. For West Indies, already without Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, the surface looks like a cruel leveller.

It is a myth that playing Test cricket at home is an easy assignment for India. On the contrary, it comes with an unforgiving weight of expectations. Anything less than victory is considered a blemish — even a hard-fought draw is framed as failure. India’s last home series against New Zealand remains a cautionary tale. A shock collapse for 46 in Bangalore and panic-induced square turners in Pune and Mumbai derailed their campaign and cost them a shot at the World Test Championship final. Shubman Gill begins his home captaincy tenure knowing that the price of failure is steep and the room for error negligible.

India predicted XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj


West Indies predicted XI: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Jomel Warrican, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales

India face key selection decisions for the first Test.

Sai Sudharsan, India’s favoured No.3, may miss out due to a shoulder issue, giving Devdutt Padikkal a chance to step in.

Additionally, wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel could be promoted to No.5, allowing India to play four spinners while maintaining batting depth.

These decisions are pivotal: balancing batting solidity against spin-heavy attacks while utilising seamers on a grassy red-soil pitch.

Gill’s choices will define the team’s flexibility and adaptability, demonstrating the modern Test captain’s need to think beyond conventional structures.

West Indies enter Ahmedabad without their pace spearheads Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, leaving a void in their attack.

Captain Roston Chase and spinner Jomel Warrican carry the burden, but the inexperienced spin lineup faces a severe challenge against a polished Indian batting unit.

Past struggles, including a morale-crushing 27 all out against Australia, suggest that India will dominate if they play their plans correctly.

The visitors’ batting depth will be tested on a red-soil pitch that favours home bowlers. India’s bowlers have the opportunity to make early inroads and set the tone for a commanding series.

The Narendra Modi Stadium pitch has been prepared with a red-soil base and a healthy layer of grass, signalling India’s intent to attack with both pace and spin.

Unlike rank turners that backfired in Pune and Mumbai, this surface offers balance, allowing Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah to use reverse swing while spinners Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav exploit turn later.

The pitch will test both batters’ technique and bowlers’ skills, and India’s selection decisions, including whether to play four spinners or include a third seamer, will reflect a careful strategic calculation.

With World Test Championship standings tightening, every match counts.

India currently trail Australia and Sri Lanka in third place, and a home series against a weakened West Indies provides a crucial chance to climb.

Following the misreads against New Zealand, Shubman Gill’s team cannot afford slip-ups. The red-soil, grassy pitch in Ahmedabad allows India to field a balanced attack of seamers and spinners, creating pressure on the visitors.

Beyond the immediate series, points here will shape the path to hosting South Africa in November and ultimately vying for the WTC final. India must convert home advantage into solid results.

Shubman Gill steps into uncharted territory as India’s Test captain at home for the first time. Leading a side brimming with talent, Gill faces the twin pressures of expectations and WTC points.

After his stellar performance in England, scoring 754 runs in five Tests, Gill now must guide a team learning from past mistakes, particularly against New Zealand.

His approach is clear: play hard, patient cricket and balance the team’s attack.

Choosing pitches that reward both seamers and spinners, he’s set on creating conditions where India can dominate while testing West Indies’ depleted lineup. It’s a baptism by fire.

Hello and welcome to TimesofIndia.com for the live coverage of the first Test match between India and West Indies. It is going to be an interesting one!

Squads:

India Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), N Jagadeesan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy

West Indies Squad: John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Roston Chase(c), Shai Hope(w), Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Tevin Imlach