Windsor Park Stadium. (Photo Source: Twitter)
After a dismal performance in the WTC final against Australia, team India took a month-long break and is now ready to begin another cycle of the WTC championship. Notably, the Rohit Sharma-led side made some significant changes to their line-up as Cheteshwar Pujara has been dropped from the squad, while Mohammed Shami has been rested for the series. Yashasvi Jaiswal meanwhile is set to make his debut and will be partnering with Rohit Sharma at the top of the order, while Shubman Gill is likely to take Pujara’s number three.
West Indies, on the other hand, have faced a lot of criticism in recent times because of their performance in the ODI World Cup Qualifier. Thus, the team will be desperate to show their class, but it will not be an easy task, especially against the brand of cricket that India play in the longest format of the game. However, the Kraigg Brathwaite-led side can draw inspiration from their famous 1-0 victory over England in 2022.
At home, they will be a tough opposition to play against, as players like the skipper himself, Jermaine Blackwood and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have shown their class in red-ball cricket. Their battle against Mohammed Siraj and Ravichandran Ashwin can very well be the highlight of the two-match series, while from India, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s form will be closely monitored as both these legendary cricketers have struggled in Test cricket in the recent past.
Weather forecast at Windsor Park, Dominica for first Test
Rain is likely to play spoilsport on Day 1 of the first Test. There is a possibility of a breezy shower towards the start of the day’s play, but the weather is expected to get better with time. However, it will be a windy day, and thus, the bowlers could possibly generate extra swing. As per Accuweather, there’s a 55% chance of precipitation and a 16% chance of thunderstorms.
Notably, the weather will be much better for the remaining four days of the first Test. There are slim chances of rain, which will not affect the match much. Day 2 and Day 3 will be relatively sunny with a bit of cloud cover, while the remaining two days will be absolutely bright.