E-Paper
Sign in
'Virat Kohli was right...': Empty Ahmedabad stadium for India-West Indies 1st Test enrages Test purists
India are playing a home Test match without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in about 15 years. The absence of these players reflected in the empty stands.
India have started their home season with the first Test against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Notably, this is a Test match in 14 years and 10 months on Indian soil, where there is no Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli in the playing XI. The last time this happened was in Nagpur vs New Zealand in November 2010.
Virat Kohli made his Test debut on June 20, 2011, while Rohit Sharma played for the first time for India in whites on November 6, 2013. Since Kohli’s debut, there has not been a match in which none of them were present in the playing XI. But with both stars announcing their retirement from the format in May 2025, it seems the interest in the longest format has taken a hit in the cricket-frenzy nation of India.
The stands for the Test match against West Indies have appeared mostly empty for the first two days. Each empty row stood there as a metaphor for ‘star power vacuum’. Fair or not, the fans lined turnout to the baton passing to Shubman Gill, and revived Virat Kohli’s old argument of fixed Test centers. The Indian maestro once expressed his opinion on Test venues and said that red-ball cricket should be played at classic hubs that can nurse weekday crowds.
India’s dominance fails to draw crowd
India have established their control over the ongoing match. They looked the superior side from the very first ball of the match. West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first, hoping to put on a formidable total on the board.
However, the class of the Indian bowlers proved a bit too much for them. Mohammed Siraj cracked open the top order, putting the visitors in all sorts of trouble. This was followed by an excellent spell by Jasprit Bumrah, where we quickened the fall of the tail. The two spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar also provided support as the West Indies got bundled out for a paltry 162.
In reply, the Indian openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, provided a solid platform to the hosts. Even though Jaiswal failed to convert his start, Rahul looked resolute. He saw through to the end of the first day and continued from where he left off on day 2. The skipper, Shubman Gill, played his part in the partnership, scoring his half-century. Even though the Indian captain failed to reach the three-figure mark, Rahul ensured he stayed in the middle and propelled India towards a formidable and decisive first innings lead in the game.
