West Indies are reeling at 90 for the loss of three wickets at lunch on day 3, as India extended their advantage in the first Test at Antigua on Saturday. Pacer Mohammed Shami bagged his second wicket of the innings after dismissing Darren Bravo (11) at the stroke of lunch.
England battled back into contention on the third day of the second Test against West Indies as Mark Stoneman's first half century and captain Joe Root's unbeaten 45 helped wipe out a sizeable first-innings deficit on Sunday.
A grafting century from Dom Sibley and an increasingly belligerent one by Ben Stokes put England in control on day two of the second Test against West Indies in Manchester on Friday. Opener Sibley completed his second Test century shortly before lunch, eventually falling for 120, while Stokes cut loose after it before going for 176 as England declared on 469-9.
The flamboyant Chris Gayle is unlikely to get a farewell Test match against India after being overlooked in the 13-strong West Indies squad for the two-Test series, starting August 22 at North Sound, in Antigua.
India thumped West Indies by 10 wickets inside three days to complete a 2-0 series sweep on Sunday after Umesh Yadav's stellar bowling effort set up their comprehensive victory in the and second and final Test.
Kusal Mendis led a strong Sri Lankan second innings effort but the West Indies still held the advantage at stumps on day four of the first Test at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad on Saturday. Set a daunting target of 453 when the hosts declared their second innings at 223 for seven just after lunch, the visitors reached 176 for three by the close with Mendis unbeaten on 94.
Denied adequate preparation time in India, the West Indies would look to utilise all their resources when they take on Board President's XI
Ravichandran Ashwin produced a bowling masterclass to grab 7 for 83 as India recorded their biggest ever win outside the subcontinent by thumping the West Indies by an innings and 92 runs in the first Test at Antigua to take a morale-boosting 1-0 lead in the 4-match Test series on Sunday. It was Ashwin's first five-wicket haul outside the subcontinent.
England pace bowler James Anderson took a career best of seven for 42 on Saturday to destroy the West Indies' batting on the third day of the third Test at Lord's and set up his team for a 2-1 series victory.
Bravo, 29, has not played a Test for West Indies since 2016, when his contract was suspended for a social media post criticising board president Dave Cameron.
They have not lost to the West Indies in 14 Tests dating back to 2003.
Adam Voges became the oldest player to score a century on debut as Australia seized control of the first Test against the West Indies on the second day in Dominica on Thursday.
'I just think that was their strategy, to really go hard with the young guy because that is his natural game, and make it easier for the other guys coming in after him. We tried to contain the batsmen. We set more defensive fields and tried to put more pressure back on them after they got the quick start and it paid off for us. But then, we had a few lapses in the field and that really cost it'
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 2nd Test played between England and West Indies at Manchester on Sunday.
Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to post a Test double century overseas as the tourists played their way into a virtually unbeatable position on the second day of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua on Friday.
Australia batsman Adam Voges produced a Man of the Match performance as they emphatically beat West Indies by nine wickets in the first Test in Dominica on Friday
Stokes was eventually dismissed for exactly 100 -- his sixth Test century -- with Kemar Roach (4-71) and Shannon Gabriel (4-51) the main wicket-takers as West Indies put their first-Test rout behind them.
Opening batsman Lokesh Rahul scored a career-high 158 as India consolidated their dominance on day two of the second Test against West Indies in Jamaica on Sunday.
Virat Kohli cantered to his maiden double century in Tests as India cruised to 404 for 4 at lunch on day two of the series opener against the West Indies in North Sound, Antigua, on Friday.
Stuart Broad hogged the limelight in the dark as England routed a hopelessly outclassed West Indies in the landmark day-night Test match at Edgbaston, wrapping up victory by an innings and 209 runs on Saturday.
Tailender Jason Holder was left stranded on 82 not out as West Indies were dismissed for 220 in their first innings against Australia in Jamaica on Saturday, a deficit of 179, on the third day of the second Test in Kingston, Jamaica.
West Indies' skipper Jason Holder conceded that his side were always playing 'catch-up' game throughout the first Test against India, which they surrendered meekly losing by an innings and 92 runs.
India will look to plug the chinks in its armoury and provide finishing touches to its preparation for the four-Test series when it takes on the West Indies Cricket Board Presidents' XI in the final warm-up match, starting in Basseterre, St Kitts, on Thursday.
International cricket will gingerly ease out of a 117-day shutdown in Southampton next week but the scars of the COVID-19 pandemic will be clearly evident at the Ageas Bowl. An encounter between the fourth and eighth ranked teams in Test cricket is hardly a pinnacle but England's series against West Indies could offer a glimpse into a future where the game plods on under the shadow of the new coronavirus.
A clinical India completed one of the most ruthless clean sweeps in recent times, demolishing a listless West Indies by 10 wickets in the second Test, inside three days, to clinch the series 2-0.
India finished the second day on 308 for four in 81 overs. They trail West Indies by just three runs, after the visitors were bowled out for 311 earlier in the day.
More than the runs scored, it is the manner of his dismissals that is causing frustration, considering that the Indian cricket establishment has invested heavily in the 21-year-old from Rourkee.
Sarfraz Ahmed will continue as Pakistan captain at the World Cup in May despite serving a suspension for breaching the anti-racism code, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani said on Tuesday.
Star all-rounder Kieron Pollard will lead the Trinidad side whereas Darren Sammy will lead the Caribbean Select XI.
Kohli will be wary of the challenge that can be posed by the new ball pair of Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel
Pooran was last seen in action for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the IPL, scoring 353 runs from 14 matches.
India were 157 for three in their second innings at stumps on day four of the third Test in Gros Islet, St Lucia on Friday.
'Ghost-like stands repel rather than attract audiences,' observes Ashis Ray.
The West Indies bowling could have been taken to the cleaners, but the skipper hit only 10 fours in his knock -- significantly less than Shaw's 19 boundaries and Pujara's 14 hits.
India have endured series losses in South Africa and England over the last nine months but have still managed to remain the number one side in the longest format.
India recovered to 234 for five at stumps on Day One of the third Test against the West Indies, courtesy an unbeaten 108-run stand between Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha.
On a high after sealing the series with comprehensive victories, an upbeat India will be aiming to complete a 3-0 rout in order to retain it's No 1 Test ranking, when they meet a listless West Indies in the final Test match of the series in Port of Spain on Thursday. Having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series after their crushing 237-run win in the third Test, Virat Kohli and his men will be aiming to go for the kill and keep their top ranking in Test. India were reinstated as the No.1 Test side after Australia 0-3 whitewash at the hands of Sri Lanka.
India produced a splendid performance to clinically decimate West Indies by 237 runs in the third Test thereby taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
West Indies skipper Jason Holder doesn't expect his young and inexperienced side to improve by leaps and bounds and said they are looking for a steady progression as they go into the four-Test series against India with confidence.
Stung by a remarkable fightback from West Indies on the final day of the rain-hit second Test, India will have to look at their bowling combinations and get back to winning ways when the third cricket Test begins in St. Lucia, on Tuesday.