Rain disrupts England’s Ashes victory march, and India encounters similar frustration in Port of Spain.
In some ways, India felt more disappointed about not achieving a win in Port of Spain than the hosts did. The West Indies lost in Dominica in three days but considered the fifth day’s draw as an improvement.
A tie, even if the outcome is affected by the weather, would be considered a positive result for the West Indies team. However, the long delay on the fifth day ruined any faint hope they had of chasing down the 365-run target for victory.
India saw this series as crucial. It aimed to set them up for another World Test Championship (WTC) cycle after making it to the first two finals. Failing to secure a 2-0 victory feels like they missed out on valuable points. The upcoming matches against South Africa, England, and Australia will be tougher than the Caribbean tour. So, it was really important for India to win all the games in the series against a team that had a hard time keeping up with them regularly.
India desperately hoped for play to start on the fifth day, as they had the potential to run through the fragile West Indies batting lineup with the help of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. However, rain disrupted their chances, and the game was eventually called off.
Reflecting on the matches played in Trinidad, we can learn some valuable lessons and gain insights from what happened.
Both teams were aware of the weather forecast before the matches, and this influenced their game plans. During India’s second time batting, they showed a strong desire for a decisive outcome by aggressively playing. On the fourth day, Mohammed Siraj took important wickets early on. In contrast, the West Indies intentionally played at a slower pace, using up time with their slower scoring.
From the series, India can take away some positive points. Yashasvi Jaiswal displayed potential for Test cricket, and Virat Kohli’s hunger for scoring remained evident. Ajinkya Rahane’s performance during the World Test Championship final against Australia was significant, but his performance in the Caribbean was less remarkable. This makes his position in the team vulnerable to competition from others.
Ishan Kishan, while being a capable wicketkeeper, is likely a temporary choice until Rishabh Pant is back. It’s important to have Ashwin in the team during away Test matches due to his ability to perform well in various conditions, which greatly benefits the team. Siraj has demonstrated promising skills and has become a reliable performer in the pace bowling attack.
India’s dominance in the series was as expected, given the difference in talent between the teams. The series provided a chance for young players to gain valuable experience. It also allowed the selectors to evaluate the form and potential of the older players for future matches.