With the dust now settling on India’s Asia Cup 2025 triumph, attention quickly pivots to the longest format as Shubman Gill’s men prepare to take on the West Indies in a two-Test series beginning October 2.
India, fresh off their ninth Asia Cup crown in T20Is, face an entirely different examination in the red-ball arena. Gill’s side showed resilience during their recent tour of England and will now step onto home soil for their first assignment of the new World Test Championship cycle.
For the visitors, the outlook is far less rosy. Though ranked sixth, that position owes much to the inactivity of teams beneath them. Their most recent outing, a 3-0 whitewash against Australia on home turf, ended in humiliation, capped by a record-low 27 all out in the final Test. The debacle was severe enough to spark crisis talks among the powerbrokers of Caribbean cricket.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
India vs. West Indies Test match live stream, TV channel in the US
Here's how to watch this Test match in India:
- TV Channel: Star Sports
- Live Stream: Jio Hotstar
Cricket fans in India can catch the IND vs WI Test series live on the Star Sports network, with digital streaming accessible via the Jio Hotstar app and website.
What time does India vs. West Indies Test match start in the US?
This Asia Cup match takes place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and starts on Thursday, October 2, at 9:30 p.m. local time (IST).
India vs. West Indies 1st Test predicted XIs, team news
India may have picked up valuable lessons from their recent trip to England, but this is still very much a side in transition. Shubman Gill will captain the team on home soil for the first time, fresh off a historic purple patch overseas where he piled up four centuries, including a double hundred.
Rishabh Pant remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from a fractured left foot suffered in Manchester, leaving Dhruv Jurel in line to don the gloves. N Jagadeesan, who travelled to England as a reserve wicketkeeper for the final Test, now steps into the main squad.
Kuldeep Yadav could finally be in line for a prolonged spell in the Test setup. Despite boasting 56 wickets at an impressive average of 22.16, he didn’t feature in any of the five matches against England. Axar Patel, who wasn't part of that series, is expected to play a major role this time, his all-round prowess on home turf making him a vital cog in the lineup. Washington Sundar will be eager to prove he can match that impact, having already demonstrated his batting pedigree at the highest level.
At the forefront of India’s spin department will be Ravindra Jadeja. Now approaching 15 years in the Test arena, the seasoned all-rounder shoulders the added responsibility of vice-captaincy in Rishabh Pant’s absence.
India predicted XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Bench: Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, Narayan Jagadeesan
For West Indies, the mood is one of reinvention after their humbling series defeat to Australia. In a bold call, the selectors have moved on from ex-skipper and 100-Test veteran Kraigg Brathwaite. Instead, Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have been drafted back, their proficiency against spin a key factor behind their recalls.
Shai Hope, who earned a Test recall during the Australia series after a four-year absence, will be desperate to improve on his modest tally of 118 runs at an average of 18.83 across six innings.
If the visitors are to make this contest a genuine battle, their spinners must deliver. Vice-captain Jomel Warrican, left-arm tweaker Khary Pierre, and skipper Roston Chase will carry the bulk of the responsibility on turning tracks in India.
West Indies predicted XI: Roston Chase (C), Brandon King, Jomel Warrican, Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales
Bench: Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach