WI vs IND, 2nd Test: Pitch report and stadium stats
India will look to seal the deal as they take on hosts West Indies in the second and final Test, starting on Thursday (July 20). Having won the opener by an innings and 141 runs, Rohit Sharma's men must be high on confidence. The home team meanwhile has several areas to look upon. Here we look at the pitch report.
A look at the track conditions
The pitch at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, a picturesque ground with a backdrop of Northern Hills, will host this affair. It is known to assist fast bowlers. Therefore, the new-ball bowlers are expected to perturb the openers with swing and pace. Spinners will come into play later on. Challenging conditions await the two teams.
Here are the stadium stats
Teams batting first have won 20 of the 61 Tests here, losing 18. A total of 23 games have been drawn. 302 reads the average first-innings score here. 681/8 (declared) reads the highest team score here, recorded by WI against England back in 1954. 46 by England in 1994 is the lowest team score at this venue.
WI last defeated India at Queen's Park in 1989
West Indies have played 61 Test matches at the Queen's Park Oval. The Caribbean team has won 20 and lost 18 Tests here, while 23 of them resulted in a draw. Meanwhile, India have won three and lost as many out of 13 Tests at this venue. Notably, West Indies last defeated India at the Queen's Park Oval in 1989.
India's highest successful Test run-chase
It is worth noting that India registered their highest successful run-chase in Test cricket at Queen's Park Oval in 1976. They chased down a mammoth 403, with Sunil Gavaskar (102), Gundappa Viswanath (112), Mohinder Amarnath (85), and Brijesh Patel (49*) guiding them to the win.
Here are the key performers
WI skipper Kraigg Brathwaite has returned with 194 runs in four Tests at this venue at 48.50. Jason Holder has scored 79 runs alongside picking a couple of wickets in two Tests here. Kemar Roach has taken 17 wickets in three Tests here at 21.88 (5W: 2). Jermaine Blackwood scored a fifty on his Test debut here against New Zealand in 2014.
A look at the Probable XIs
India (Probable XI): Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, and Mohammed Siraj. West Indies (Probable XI): Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Jermaine Blackwood, Alick Athanaze, Joshua Da Silva (wicket-keeper), Jason Holder, Kevin Sinclair, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, and Jomel Warrican
