IND VS WI 2ND TEST

And that’s a wrap of this gripping 2-match Test series! India, and their young skipper, Shubman Gill, couldn’t have asked for a better start to his captaincy journey at home. A clean sweep with commanding performances and moments from start to finish. The hosts were clinical in every department, showing class, composure, and confidence. Meanwhile, the West Indies might not have taken the trophy, but they surely took back some massive positives - the emergence of players like John Campbell and Shai Hope as dependable anchors, and a fighting attitude that never went missing. Up next, it’s travel time! India now head to Australia for a blockbuster, exciting white-ball tour, featuring 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is, starting Sunday, 19th October. It will be Shubman Gill’s first ODI series as full-time captain, and the big guns are back! Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return to international cricket after around 8 long months, fresh off their Champions Trophy glory earlier this year. As for the Windies, they fly east to Bangladesh for another subcontinental challenge for a white ball tour - 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is, beginning Saturday, 18th October. It’s another chance to test their young guns in spin-friendly conditions and fine-tune their white-ball combinations. And yes, cricket lovers - the action doesn’t stop here! The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is in full swing across India and Sri Lanka, so if you’re missing the game already, you know where to tune in. Until then - breathe and smile. TAKE CARE! CIAO!

And finally, the moment! Shubman Gill walks up with that trademark calm smile to receive the glittering series-winning trophy from BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla. The crowd erupts, cameras click, and confetti showers down as Gill raises it high before handing it over to youngsters, Narayan Jagadeesan and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who lift it together with roaring cheers. The entire Indian squad joins in, laughter and backslaps all around, while Ravindra Jadeja, the Player of the Series, proudly poses with the silverware. Soon, the support staff and coaches step in, and the trophy sits gleaming in front of the 'CHAMPIONS' placard - a picture-perfect ending to a dominant home series win.

And now, the Indian skipper, Shubman Gill, walks in for a word. He says that it's a great honour to captain India in Tests and he is getting used to it. Adds that it is about taking the right options in different situations, and sometimes you have to take a few bold decisions. Mentions that the thought process behind enforcing the follow-on was that they were around 300 runs ahead, and the wicket was still flat. Notes that if they had to pick up 5-6 wickets on the last day, it could have been tough. Says that Reddy didn't get to bowl in this game, but they still back him. They don't want players to play just overseas, as that can put a lot of pressure and they want to groom them. Further adds that, when he is going out to bat, he just wants to focus on that, and batting is something he has done since he was 3 years old. Tells that when you have played age-group cricket, one thing you know is that how you can get the team to win a game. Ends by saying that it's a long flight to Australia, and they can plan for the tour on it.

Ravindra Jadeja is adjudged the PLAYER OF THE SERIES, and he steps up with a calm smile, reflecting on his all-round brilliance - 104 runs and 8 wickets across the two Tests. Speaking about his performance, he begins by noting that with Ashwin not around, he gets the opportunity to bowl more overs, which allows him to express himself fully as a spinner. Praises the group effort, saying that the team has been playing a wonderful brand of cricket for the last 5-6 months, and it’s a positive sign that they continue to maintain that consistency. On his batting form, Jadeja agrees that he’s probably in his best rhythm right now. Recalls Gautam Gambhir’s advice, where he has got the number 6 spot now, so he thinks like a proper batter when he goes to bat, and admits that it has changed his mindset. Having batted for years at No. 8 or 9, he now looks to spend a longer time in the middle and take greater responsibility. When asked about milestones like 300 wickets and 4000 runs, Jadeja shrugs it off modestly. He says that he doesn’t think much about records and only focuses on contributing with both bat and ball in the team’s winning cause. For him, every performance must add value, and he’s always eager to give one hundred percent every time he steps on the field. With a small grin, he wraps up by saying that this marks his third Player of the Series award, and he’s happy to take another one home.

Kuldeep Yadav is named the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for taking 8 wickets in the match. He says that this was a completely different wicket than the first one. Adds that the challenge here was bowling a lot of overs, but he enjoyed it. Mentions that the difference was the pace and the drift, he got a lot of it in Ahmedabad, but not much here and tried to focus on his arm speed and revs on the ball. Says that he'll watch a few football games, but they hardly have any time as they fly soon to the Australia series. Further adds that it is great to have Jadeja around him as he always gives him advice and guides him in tough situations.

Roston Chase, the West Indies' skipper, steps up for a word, reflecting on the positives his side takes from the match. He begins by noting the encouraging signs in this Test, pointing out that two of his batters, Shai Hope and John Campbell, scored fine hundreds - a moment of pride and relief for the team. Smiles as he adds that it’s been a long time since he had his pads on for over an hour, which speaks volumes about how well the top order fought. Continuing, he highlights that the West Indies managed to bat a full 100 overs, something they hadn’t done in quite some time, and emphasises that taking the game into the fifth day was another big achievement for the side, showing progress and resilience. Further mentions that the team has been working on finding ways to play long innings, discussing strategies like using the feet against spin and playing the sweep shot effectively. According to him, those little improvements are starting to show results. Before wrapping up, Chase points out that this performance must act as a stepping stone for the team, encouraging the players to build on the experience and carry forward the confidence into upcoming matches.

Time for the Post-Match Presentations...

So, the positives for the Windies? Oh, there are a few! Hope and Campbell’s centuries were a beacon of belief. Greaves’ late fight and Seales’ discipline with the ball showed glimpses of promise. Warrican’s spin troubled even the best on occasion. Sure, they lost both matches, but this young side showed resilience that numbers alone can’t measure. And what about India? Everything seems to be falling into place! Jaiswal, Gill, and Rahul are in form at the top. Jadeja continues to do Jadeja things - contributing everywhere without fuss. Kuldeep, getting his chances and performing exceptionally well, has been pure joy, while Siraj’s aggression was relentless, and Bumrah’s control, as ever, was surgical. Even Dhruv Jurel stepped up and scored a ton in the first Test, keeping the Rishabh Pant absence almost invisible.

Sai Sudharsan of India, who scored 87 and 39 across both innings in this Test, is up for a quick chat. He says that it is a great thing to win this series, after showing a lot of fight in England. Adds that he has learned a lot in his first five Tests and is looking to keep on improving. On his freak catch, he says that he was sure that Campbell wouldn't sweep, but was brave to hold his position and got a bit lucky. Says that he has learnt about the understanding of a number 3 batter and the responsibilities that come with it. Further adds that he has played a lot with Gill, and the way he gives belief among players is really good. Ends by saying that he is looking forward to making a lot more memories.

Day 5 - just a formality, but with some drama! Chasing 58 more runs on the final day, India didn’t exactly blast off. Sudharsan fell to a sharp grab by Hope at first slip, and Gill perished trying to finish things in style. A bit of spice in an otherwise one-sided affair. But KL Rahul stood firm, calm and classy, bringing up his fifty and guiding India home unbeaten. Chase picked up a couple, but by then, the writing was on the wall. A seven-wicket win, a 2-0 whitewash, and another feather in Shubman Gill’s cap - India’s new Test captain had arrived, and how!

Day 4 - the day of centuries and collapses! Oh, what a rollercoaster it was. Campbell reached his maiden Test hundred, and Hope broke an eight-year drought in the longest format. Their partnership oozed class and character - the kind that keeps Test cricket alive. For a while, it looked like the West Indies might just dare India to chase something spicy. But as always in this game, one wicket changes everything. Jadeja got Campbell, Siraj sent Hope packing with the new ball, and from 271/3, the visitors slipped to 311/9. The tail wagged a bit, thanks to a gritty 79-run last-wicket stand between Greaves and Seales, but Bumrah dismissed Seales eventually. India needed just 121 runs - a stroll, right? Maybe not quite, but close enough.

Day 3 - fightback, West Indies style! Now, this was the day the Caribbean spirit finally came alive. After being bundled out for 248 in the second inning, with Kuldeep Yadav spinning a five-wicket web, the Windies came back swinging - quite literally! Hope and Campbell decided enough was enough and counterattacked with a vengeance in the third innings when India enforced a follow-on. Suddenly, the same Indian spinners who dominated looked a touch mortal. Campbell’s stroke play was bold, Hope’s timing exquisite, and together they stitched the Windies’ best partnership of the series. Sure, India still held the upper hand, but the tone had shifted - the Windies were no longer passengers. The crowd applauded, and the contest was back on.

Day 2 - the dominance continues! Could the Windies bounce back? Well, not quite. Jaiswal marched on to 175 before a mix-up ended his sublime stay, and that only brought more misery for the visitors. Gill turned on the style, notching up his maiden century as captain at home and 10th overall in Tests, while Dhruv Jurel chipped in with a steady 44. The declaration at 518/5 was pure statement stuff - India saying, 'Catch us if you can', and when the Windies came out to bat, things started fine… until, well, they didn’t. A promising 66-run stand between Chanderpaul and Athanaze was undone by a familiar foe - lapse in concentration. From 87/1 to 107/4, the slide was on again. Hope and Imlach steadied the ship, but by Stumps, India had them cornered at 140/4.

Day 1 - a perfect Indian opening act! Choosing to bat first, India’s openers showed patience and poise early on. Rahul looked fluent before Warrican’s smart spin found him short of the crease. But oh, what followed was a left-hander’s masterclass. Jaiswal and Sudharsan took charge, mixing caution with aggression, as the Windies toiled under the Delhi sun. Jaiswal’s 7th Test century was as elegant as it was punishing, while Sudharsan’s 87 was a study in composure. The Windies tried, they probed, but apart from two peaches from Warrican, they never truly looked threatening. By Stumps, India had stamped their authority, ending Day 1 at a commanding 318/2, and Jaiswal was still hungry for more.

India complete a clean sweep in Delhi! What a way to close out a two-match Test series that had everything - centuries, collapses, and comebacks. India have bossed the Windies 2-0 at home, winning the second Test by seven wickets. It might look routine on paper, but the visitors surely made the hosts work for it this time. From Jaiswal’s marathon knock to Hope and Campbell’s twin tons, this match saw fight, flair, and flashes of promise from both camps. And though India take home all the glory, the West Indies will take plenty of lessons from the series worth their weight in gold.

FOUR! KL Rahul hits the winning runs! Jomel Warrican drops it short, on middle and leg, Rahul moves back and punches it nicely wide of mid on for a boundary. INDIA WIN BY 7 WICKETS AND TAKE THE SERIES 2-0!

Flatter, short and down the leg side, KL Rahul fails to flick it away and the keeper also fails to collect it cleanly.