West Indies vs India 2019: 3 positives India can take away from the Test series
India began their ICC World Test Championship campaign by defeating West Indies 2-0 in the two-match Test series. While India were clinical in all departments, West Indies looked below par and failed to put up a fight.
With the series win, India sit at the top of the ICC World Test Championship table.
There were plenty of eye-catching performances from the Indian side and here are three positives they can take away from the series:
#1 Ajinkya Rahane's return to form
Ajinkya Rahane has had a tough time in the last 18 months with the bat. Since the beginning of 2018 up until this series, Rahane scored only 662 runs in 22 innings at an average of 30.09 without a century to his name.
Questions were also asked regarding his place in the playing XI. However, he has silenced his critics with his performances in this series, scoring 271 runs in 4 innings at an average of 90.33, including 3 fifties and a hundred. He was also named the 'Man of the Match' in the first Test.
Rahane's return to form is definitely one of the positives for India ahead of the South Africa series.
#2 Emergence of Hanuma Vihari
Hanuma Vihari was selected ahead of Rohit Sharma in the playing XI in both Tests because of his sound technique and he justified his spot in the side with a few brilliant knocks. Although he missed out on his maiden Test century in the first Test, he soon made amends by scoring 111 runs off 225 balls in the first innings of the second Test.
Along with Ishant Sharma (57 runs off 80 balls), he stitched a 112-run partnership for the 8th wicket and helped India cross the 400-run mark in the first innings. He continued his fine form in the second innings too by scoring 53 runs off 76 balls and was named the Man of the Match for his exploits.
Vihari scored 289 runs in four innings in the series at an average of 96.33 courtesy two fifties and a hundred. His impressive performances with the bat have surely cemented his place in the middle order of the Indian Test team.
#3 Potent fast bowling attack
The Indian fast bowlers enjoyed a purple patch in the two-match series. Ishant Sharma bagged a fifer in the first innings of the first Test while Jasprit Bumrah achieved the feat in the second innings.
Bumrah continued to torment the West Indian batsmen in the second Test, bagging a six-wicket haul in the first innings.
Mohammed Shami also made his presence felt by scalping 9 wickets in two Tests. The three Indian fast bowlers took 33 wickets among them which will definitely boost their confidence ahead of an all-important Test series against South Africa.
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