Shubman Gill Breaks Toss Curse, Eyes Series Clean Sweep Against West Indies

In a series already tilted decisively in their favour, India captain Shubman Gill won his first toss as Test skipper on Friday, opting to bat first against the West Indies on the opening day of the second Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium. The victory at the coin toss ended a streak of six consecutive losses for Gill in the role, narrowly averting an unwanted record and setting a positive tone for the hosts. At the time of this report, India was 14/0 after five overs, with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul unbeaten, navigating a cautious start under overcast conditions.

This two-match series marks India's home Test campaign for 2025, following a dominant innings-and-140-run victory in the opener in Ahmedabad last week. There, pacers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah dismantled the West Indies for 162 and 146, while centuries from Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel powered India to 448/5 declared, securing the win inside three days. The result extended India's unbeaten home streak against the West Indies to 10 series since 1994, underscoring the tourists' struggles on subcontinental pitches. With a 1-0 lead, India now eyes a clean sweep, bolstering their position in the World Test Championship cycle. Gill's unchanged XI—featuring Jaiswal, Rahul, Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jurel, Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj, Bumrah, and Akash Deep—relies on its spin-heavy attack to exploit the black-soil surface, known for favouring turners as matches progress.

The West Indies, led by stand-in skipper Roston Chase in the absence of injured stars, face an uphill battle to level the series. The visitors made two changes, bringing in left-arm pacer Jediah Blades for the injured Jayden Seales and recalling Tagenarine Chanderpaul, aiming to add seam variety and batting depth. Chase's side, bundled out cheaply in Ahmedabad, must contend with India's quartet of spinners—Jadeja, Kuldeep, and the pacers' support—on a pitch expected to deteriorate. "All we ask for, we deserve," West Indies coach Daren Sammy remarked post-toss, emphasising resilience amid a depleted squad missing key figures like Shai Hope and Alzarri Joseph. Early overs saw seamer Shamar Joseph testing the openers with bounce, but India absorbed the pressure, reaching stumps at 10/0 after four overs before creeping to 14/0.

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The low-key atmosphere, with reports of just 673 spectators in attendance—the lowest for a Day 1 Test in India—highlighted broader concerns over Test cricket's appeal amid packed white-ball calendars. Fans like Delhi local Shivesh expressed hopes for a competitive contest on what they described as a batting-friendly track, predicting scores around 400-500 in the first innings. As play resumes, the West Indies will seek breakthroughs, but India's depth and home advantage position them strongly for another statement win. The match, broadcast live on Star Sports and streamed on Disney+ Hotstar, runs until October 14, offering a platform for emerging talents on both sides.

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