2018 West Indies Tour of India - India Vs West Indies First Test @ Rajkot Oct 04-08, 2018

 India Most Dominant Team At Home of the Decade

 India has been the most dominating team at home in this period. They have won 30 of their 43 Tests in this period. And lost just 4

India’s dominance at home started from the 1990s. India did not lose a single Test series at home in that entire decade. Only three other Test teams have managed to do that post the Second World War. Australia did it in the 1960s decade – they did not lose a single Test series at home. Neither, interestingly, did Pakistan in the 1970s. And unsurprisingly, West Indies did not in the 1980s. Even Australia’s all-time great sides in the 2000s could not accomplish this!

Since the 1990s, only Australia (won 109, lost 20) have a higher win-loss ratio than India (won 68, lost 17) at home.

India have played 23, won 17 and lost just one solitary Test (to Australia in Pune in 2017) in this period. That is the best win-loss ratio amongst all teams. Australia with 19 wins and 2 losses from 26 games is second in this regard.

What is significant is the fact that while India’s Home Batting Average continues to remain high in this period (42.15; only Australia has a higher Batting Average), it is India’s Home Bowling Average – 24.25 – which is the lowest amongst all teams in this period.

Another interesting statistic is the runs conceded per over (Economy Rate). India has the lowest Economy Rate (2.81) in this period. All other countries have conceded more than 3 runs per over at home.

This suggests that while India’s batsmen have continued to dominate at home, the team’s sweeping results are as a result of the primacy of the Indian bowlers – namely the two spinners – R Ashwin and R Jadeja.

DOMINATION OF INDIA’S TOP 4

India Batsmen in India:
Openers’ Average: 42.20
Middle Order Average: 53.47
Lower Order Average: 38.27

Opposition Batsmen in India:
Openers’ Average: 24.91
Middle Order Average: 31.84
Lower Order Average: 24.13

While Indian openers average 42.2 at home, opposition openers have found it difficult in the spinner-friendly pitches and average only 24.91 in India.

Only Australian and South African openers average more at home in this period.

While Lokesh Rahul has the best average of 46.7, it is Murali Vijay who has scored the maximum runs for India in this period (1418).

Shikhar Dhawan, who has been dropped from the series, averages just 34.86 in India during the last five years. Indian openers have partnered in 3 century and 6 fifty stands during this period.

Cheteshwar Pujara has been the rock of the Indian batting at home. He has provided the idol foil to number 4, Virat Kohli. Only Kane Williamson and Usman Khawaja average more than Pujara (58.12) from the number 3 position.

No other Number 3 has faced more deliveries (3900) than Pujara in this period. On an average, he has played 19 overs in each innings in this period. This gives us an account of his technique and temperament. He plays the waiting game, wearing down the opposition bowlers. He also makes sure that India’s best batsman - Kohli is shielded against the new ball.

Virat Kohli has scored 1924 runs at an average of 71.25 from Number 4. Only Steven Smith has a higher aggregate and average from the position (minimum 10 innings).

The differential between the Average of Openers/Middle-Order of Home and Opposition Team is only higher in Australia.

INDIAN BOWLERS THE BEST IN HOME CONDITIONS

India’s bowling has been the reason for their emphatic record at home.

Indian Fast Bowlers in India:               Australian Spinners in Aus:

Bowling Average: 28.73                            Bowling Average: 35.2
Economy: 2.9                                              Economy: 3.14
Strike Rate: 59                                            Strike Rate: 67.1

Indian Spinners in India:                      Australian Fast Bowlers in Aus:

Bowling Average: 21.93                            Bowling Average: 27.49
Economy: 2.59                                            Economy 3.03
Strike Rate: 50.6                                         Strike Rate: 54.3

Opposition Fast Bowlers in India:      Opposition Spinners in Aus:

Bowling Average: 42.47                            Bowling Average: 74.17
Economy: 3.19                                            Economy: 3.91
Strike Rate: 79.7                                         Strike Rate: 113.6

Opposition Spinners in India:            Opposition Fast Bowlers in Aus:

Bowling Average: 41.09                           Bowling Average: 42.7
Economy: 3.43                                           Economy: 3.53
Strike Rate: 71.7                                        Strike Rate: 72.5 

 India is the only Team With An Unbeaten Series Record At Home

India have won all the 8 series they have played at home during this period. This includes two series sweeps.

India’s margin of victories at home are also the biggest amongst all countries, if we look at innings victories and victory by 100+ runs cumulatively – this suggests complete domination at home.

 India has also won a staggering 11 of their 17 Tests at home during this period within Day 4.

West Indies have been comprehensively beaten in their previous three tours of India. They are ranked Number 8 in the ICC Rankings. To take on a formidable Number 1 ranked Indian side in their own backyard is going to be a daunting challenge for the visitors.

All You Need To Know About The Venue For The First Rajkot

Capacity: 28,000

Location: Rajkot, India

Home Team: Saurashtra

Established: 2009

 Overall Statistics

Tests: 1 | India Won: 0 Drawn:1 Lost: 0 | Average first innings score: 537 | Average second innings score: 488 | Highest total recorded: 537 by England

ODIs: 2 | India Won:0 Lost:2 | Average first innings score: 297 | Highest total recorded: 324 for 4 by England

T20Is: 2 | India Won: 1 Lost:1 | Average first innings score: 198 | Highest total recorded: 202 for 4 by India

Prithivi Shaw Makes Test Debut for India

Prithivi Shaw is 18 years and 329 days when he makes Test Debut @ Rajkot Vs West Indies

Prithvi has quite a few remarkable feats to his name. He became the second youngest player – after Tendulkar – to score a century for Mumbai, achieving the feat on his Ranji debut at the age of 17

 In his first seven first class games, he scored five centuries and already has 1418 runs in 14 first class matches at a remarkable average of 56.72. 

He has also shown the same level of consistency for India ‘A’, making centuries at home and also in England – aggregating 603 runs in 10 innings.

After captaining the Indian U-19 team to the World Cup title in February, Prithvi made quite a splash when introduced to the top of the order by the struggling Delhi Daredevils on his IPL debut, making 245 runs in 9 innings at a strike rate in excess of 150.