"You can put pressure on the slightly undercooked Indian fast-bowling attack" - Aakash Chopra feels West Indies should prepare a green pitch
Aakash Chopra reckons the West Indies can put India under pressure if they prepare a slightly greenish surface for the second Test.
The final game of the two-match series will be played at Port of Spain in Trinidad from Thursday, July 20. Rohit Sharma and Co. head into the game on the back of an emphatic innings and 141-run win in the series opener in Dominica.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that the West Indies can challenge India if they leave a little grass on the surface, elaborating:
"Can West Indies challenge India? They can, such that instead of the three days, the match goes to the fourth or fifth day. You will have to alter the pitch if you have to challenge India."
The former Indian opener added:
"If you give a slightly greenish surface, which can be given in Trinidad, you can put grass anywhere, the surface underneath will remain slow, don't expect a pacy bouncy pitch, but there will be slightly more help for the fast bowlers. In such a case, you can put pressure on the slightly undercooked Indian fast-bowling attack."
Chopra feels the hosts will be outclassed if the second Test is played on a surface similar to the first one, reasoning:
"If you give the pitch that was there in Dominica, then forget it. Firstly our spinners are world-class, one of the finest in Test cricket at the moment, secondly our batters will play your spin much better than yours, and thirdly your batters don't play spin as well as they might play fast bowling."
While India declared the only innings they played in Dominica at 421/5, the West Indies were bowled out for 150 and 130 in their two innings. The Indian spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, picked up 17 wickets in the match.
"I don't think this West Indies team will be able to beat the Indian team in a Test match" - Aakash Chopra
![Ravichandran Ashwin picked up 12 wickets in the first Test. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/07/274a9-16898237682094-1920.jpg?w=500)
However, Aakash Chopra doesn't feel the West Indies can beat India in a Test match irrespective of the surface, stating:
"Can they beat India? At the outset, I would say no. I don't think this West Indies team will be able to beat the Indian team in a Test match. Things can change in an ODI or a T20I but the scales are heavily tilted in favor of India in a Test match. It might take a little more time but I have no doubt that the result will come in India's favor."
The West Indies last won a Test match against India in May 2002. They were annihilated in both games when the Indian team last played a Test series in their backyard in 2019.