After Roston Chase’s West Indies side failed to even last five days against India in the opening Test match in Ahmedabad, they are likely to be offered a more batting-friendly pitch for the second and final Test in New Delhi.
West Indies were completely outplayed by Shubman Gill’s Indian team, who dominated every session of the Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The hosts dismantled the visitors by an innings and 140 runs, wrapping up the match in just two-and-a-half days. While India had the option to extend their innings and give their batters more time in the middle, they opted for a swift declaration on the morning of Day 3, ensuring they spent no more than eight sessions on the field.
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the pitch in Delhi will be made using black soil and is expected to favour batters for the majority of the match. As the Test progresses and the surface begins to wear, spinners are likely to come into play later in the game.
This marks a sharp contrast to the surface in Ahmedabad, which had a noticeable layer of grass. The moisture in the Ahmedabad pitch on Day 1 allowed India’s pacers to pick up four wickets in the very first session. As the match wore on, footmarks created by the fast bowlers gave spinners additional areas to target, making life even more difficult for the West Indies batting lineup.
Delhi last hosted a Test match in 2023, during Australia’s tour of India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. On that occasion, Pat Cummins’ team was handed a slow-turning pitch and ended up losing the match by six wickets.
The Delhi weather is expected to play its part in the Test match as well. Due to heavy rainfall, the mornings have been cooler in Delhi. Dark clouds have covered the skies in the evening, which could impact the flow of play in the final Test match of the series.
