India Preps for West Indies Test Amid Asia Cup Triumph

The Indian cricket team has wasted no time in shifting their focus to the upcoming Test series against the West Indies, commencing training at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad just two days after their Asia Cup 2025 victory.

While key players like Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel took a break, the rest of the squad hit the ground running in preparation for the first of the two-match Test series, which is part of the World Test Championship.

With limited turnaround time between the Asia Cup and the Test series, the team management will need to carefully manage the players' workloads. The training session saw the batters, including captain Shubman Gill and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, put in long stints in the nets, while the pace bowlers like Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna also bowled extensively.

Gill, who will be leading India in his first home Test as the full-time captain, faced some challenges from his own team's pace attack, with a few deliveries troubling him. However, the 26-year-old remained determined, changing nets and batting against various combinations of pace, spin, and throw-downs.

The team's spin options, led by the in-form Kuldeep Yadav, are expected to pose a significant threat to the visiting West Indies lineup, which lacks experience in Indian conditions. The selection debate for the final playing XI may come down to the choice between Nitish Reddy and Devdutt Padikkal as the extra batter.

Overall, the Indian team appears well-prepared and eager to build on their recent Asia Cup success as they embark on the first home assignment of the new World Test Championship cycle.