The teams met at Narendra Modi Stadium for what was to become a contest showing one team’s total dominance. This Test match marked an entry into the home season for one team, but was a hard initiation for the visitors.
What Took Place in Day One
Roston Chase, West Indies captain, made an important choice to bat first; however, circumstances soon turned bleak. The humid conditions caused the ball to move a lot, and the two attack bowlers of the home side soon demolished the lot. Mohammed Siraj accounted for four dismissals while Jasprit Bumrah took three.
The visitors were dismissed for only 162, with Justin Greaves the highest scorer for his team at 32.
The home team managed some advance with two early wickets before the weather intervened with play for 22 minutes. After the rain break, Yashasvi Jaiswal decided to push before dismissing for 36. Some salient points from the day:
- Siraj 4 wickets for 40 runs
- Bumrah 3 wickets for 42 runs
- Visitors ended at 162 all out
- Home team stood at 121 for 2 at the close
Day Two Was All About Big Scores
The day was the domain of the batters, as three batsmen reached the three-figure mark. KL Rahul ended his run curse at this ground by scoring 100 off 197 balls – his 11th hundred overall and only his second hundred on home soil. Shubman Gill looked solid but fell just short by two runs, making an unbeaten 98.
Then the duo of Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja came into their own. Jurel in only his sixth Test reached his maiden hundred, finishing with 125 off 210. Jadeja responded with an aggressive 104 off 178. Their stand yielded 206 runs, a huge margin away from the near-record 214 held by VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar.
Jadeja went for all the bowlers, hitting five sixes off spinner Jomel Warrican – the second-most by any batsman from his nation off a bowler in a Test innings. He went past MS Dhoni for the most sixes by a batsman in Tests from his team. At stumps, the home side had reached 448 for 5 and built a huge lead of 286 runs.
The Stadium and Its History
The Narendra Modi Stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad stands as the biggest cricket ground on Earth with space for 132,000 people. The old stadium at this spot hosted matches from several World Cups before getting knocked down in 2015. The new venue took five years to finish and cost around 800 crore rupees.
This ground held its first Test match back in February 2021 when the home team faced England. It was also the first day-night Test at this venue. The stadium includes four dressing rooms, eleven central pitches, and two practice grounds.
Some big events at this ground include:
- The Namaste Trump event in 2020 with 125,000 people
- The 2023 One Day World Cup final
- Multiple IPL finals in 2022, 2023, and 2025
- Home ground for Gujarat Titans IPL team
However, some people questioned why this huge stadium hosted this particular series as thousands of seats stayed empty during the match. Cricket followers suggested this venue works better for shorter format matches against stronger opponents rather than longer format contests.
Team Setups and Selections
The visiting squad came under new leadership with Roston Chase taking over as captain despite not featuring in this format for over two years.
Jomel Warrican served as his deputy. The team included experienced players like Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell as openers, plus Shai Hope who returned after nearly four years away from this format.
Their pace attack featured Jayden Seales and the Joseph brothers – Alzarri and Shamar. However, both Joseph brothers missed this match due to fitness issues and got replaced. The squad also had a special call-up for left-arm spinner Khary Pierre, who earned his first selection after taking 41 wickets at an average of 13.56 in domestic matches.
The home team came in with confidence after their tour of England earlier in 2025. Shubman Gill led the side with Ravindra Jadeja as his number two. Their lineup mixed youth with experience, featuring names like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel as keeper, and Washington Sundar. The bowling had variety with Bumrah and Siraj handling pace while Jadeja, Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav covered the turning ball options.
For those following the action and updates, Cricmatch official covered all the key moments from this one-sided contest. The match showed the gap between the two sides as the home team looked set to finish things early. Cricmatch official provided detailed coverage as the visitors struggled to find answers against quality bowling and batting.
What Made the Difference
The home side dominated every session of this match through smart bowling and patient batting. Their pace bowlers used the early conditions perfectly on day one.
Then their batters ground down the opposition with three centuries in one innings. The visitors lacked energy in the field and their bowlers could not create enough pressure despite some turn and bounce from the rough patches.
With a huge lead and quality spinners ready to attack on a wearing surface, the home team positioned themselves for a quick finish. The visitors faced an uphill task trying to save the match let alone chase down the target. This opening contest set the tone for what looked like a tough series ahead for the touring side.
