To say that India are the overwhelming favourites going into the second and final Test against the West Indies at the Kotla will perhaps be an understatement. But that doesn’t mean the hosts can afford to be complacent.
Given India’s dominance in the series opener in Ahmedabad, where they won by an innings and 140 runs inside three days, it’s an uphill task for the Windies to turn things around in such a short period of time. Particularly, because of their pathetic batting.
But then why is this Test important for Team India? Shubman Gill and his teammates will want to win this Test handsomely because they will need to be in the best mindset possible when they host reigning Test champions South Africa for two matches next month.
Skipper Gill, too, emphasised maintaining the intensity and his team’s standards instead of looking at the opposition’s weaknesses. “I don’t think your intensity drops depending on the opposition,” he said on Thursday, the eve of the Test.
“It doesn’t matter who we are playing. We want to play at our own intensity, and we want to win.
“When you are playing for India, you don’t need external motivation to up your intensity. We just want to maintain our own standards.”
Backing Sudharsan
Sai Sudharsan was chosen for the ongoing Test despite just one 50-plus score in England. In Ahmedabad too, he managed just seven, but he still enjoys the team management’s confidence.
“You have to give young players more opportunities. They are still trying to figure out their game. And we believe that you have to see someone’s potential first and then see their game in the entirety, not just judge someone from a few matches,” Gill said.
“Once you have given someone enough matches, you can then sit back and think over where he needs to learn or if he needs to play some more domestic or play India A games. But as of now, we think he (Sudharsan)’s the man for us at No.3.”