Ind WI Test 1 Preview: Dhoni Has the Reins But Not All Resources

The India West Indies ODI series now give way to the important India West Indies Test series. However, neither team is expected to be at completely full strength which should also make things interesting. But it should still make Darren Sammy hopeful of a better result.

Darren Sammy, West Indies Captain with fast bowler Fidel Edwards

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has a unique proposition at hand. On the one hand, he has the opportunity to lead the team in the West Indies in the Test series as the captain of the no.1 ranked Test team. On the other hand, Dhoni will be shooting in the dark to an extent in the absence of some of the cricketers that have been part of the changing face and shape of Indian cricket.

The West Indies will obviously miss Chris Gayle, who generally has the license to thrill. His 333 innings will remain the most outstanding, lasting innings for Gayle unless the West Indies cricket board and Gayle can find middle ground in the interest of cricket. With that not being the case for the first Test, Kingston, Jamaica, may once again see Gayle on the sidelines rather than in the middle, entertaining albeit far away.

However, if the absence of Gayle can be considered a blessing, India have a few key missing personnel which will test the team even as what can be considered a weaker West Indies side led by Darren Sammy. Dhoni will not have his usual top two, the two openers in Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag and will have to make the most of Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman who will mingle with the new faces without Sachin Tendulkar in the ranks.

In that perhaps lies the challenge for India who have been accustomed to the two openers getting them off to a confident start. That job will now have to rest with a lot of pressure on the likes of Murali Vijay. It will be interesting in the role that Dhoni will see for himself in the line up as a result of the important absent faces.

The bowling department is not going to be too comforting a thought either because on what is expected to be a pitch with something for the fast bowlers, Zaheer Khan, will be missing in action and there is no Sreesanth either with question marks over fitness for Munaf Patel. Ishant Sharma will not only have to shoulder some burden but negate the perceptions that have built up around him. Praveen Kumar may be gearing up for his Test debut.

The West Indies will have a few exciting names such as Adrian Barath, who has been compared to Brian Lara in style and talent, as well as Darren Bravo who will expected to be a stronger role given his recent successes. The West Indies will be more confident after the two wins in the ODI series even though the series was lost by then. The West Indies may not have the mighty fast bowling of yore but it will be interesting how they blend the pace and spin combination to ensure that they can keep a tight leash on the first Test of the India West Indies series.