By Sarhind Times Sports Desk | Ahmedabad | October 2, 2025
Editor’s note (schedule & venue): Contrary to early chatter about Kolkata, the 1st Test is in Ahmedabad (Narendra Modi Stadium) from October 2–6; the 2nd Test is in Delhi (Oct 10–14). Both start at 9:30 AM IST with toss at 9:00 AM.
A holiday morning, red ball back on centre stage
India return to Test whites on a double-holiday morning, kicking off a two-match World Test Championship (WTC) home series against West Indies. With Shubman Gill captaining at home for the first time and points up for grabs, selection and surface will dominate the opening hour. In the run-up, broadcasters confirmed TV telecast on Star Sports and digital streaming on JioHotstar (check your plan for access), while international viewers have platform options country-by-country.
Pitch-side cues in Ahmedabad pointed to visible grass and seam—a talking point after India publicly hinted at more batting-friendly decks for this series before the big South Africa visit. Weather: hot and humid with a chance of passing showers—nothing that threatens a washout.
The essentials (bookmark this)
- Match: India vs West Indies, 1st Test (WTC 2025-27)
- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
- Dates/Time: Oct 2–6, 2025; toss 9:00 AM IST, start 9:30 AM IST
- Telecast: Star Sports (India)
- Streaming (India): JioHotstar app/website (plans apply; see app)
- U.S. streaming: Willow TV and partner carriers (check local listings)
- 2nd Test: Delhi, Oct 10–14, also 9:30 AM IST starts
The plot lines
1) A new era at home: Gill’s captaincy and India’s balance
This is Shubman Gill’s first home assignment as Test captain after leading India away. India’s think-tank has teased the possibility of an extra seamer given Ahmedabad’s greenish look, which means a squeeze on the spin slot unless conditions bake out by Day 3. Jasprit Bumrah returns as the tempo-setter; Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna banged it in hard at nets mid-week. With Ravindra Jadeja as vice-captain and all-round linchpin, the XI balance will be watched closely.
2) West Indies’ reset and resolve
Roston Chase leads an under-strength West Indies that’s talked openly about the challenge and the need to grind. There’s experience in Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Shai Hope and Jomel Warrican; Khary Pierre’s maiden call-up gives them a left-arm spin angle. Their task: survive the new ball, stretch first-innings runs, and let the game drift into Day 4.
3) World Test Championship math
Two Tests mean tight margins. India have home points to bank before sterner assignments; WI need any away result to claw back credibility in the WTC table. Starts, sessions won, and how India pace the declaration—those will tell you where this campaign is headed.
The surface and the swing of things
Ahmedabad’s square can be chameleonic: from flat to spicy depending on grass and rolling. Green tinge early suggests seam movement and bounce into Session 1 on Day 1, then true pace for batters across Days 2–3 if the sun beats down. Reverse swing, if it comes, will be a Day-3 story. If India play three quicks with Jadeja + one spinner, expect aggression with the new ball, ring fields, and attacking lengths to right-handers at top of off. West Indies must answer with leaves outside off, soft hands, and straight-bat discipline.
Selection theatre: the choices in front of India
- Top: Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul (or Sai Sudharsan) to open. Gill likely at No. 3 if Rahul opens; flexibility retained for matchups.
- Middle: Gill, Devdutt Padikkal in the squad as batting cover; Dhruv Jurel with the gloves in Pant’s absence (injury).
- All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja is non-negotiable; Axar Patel or Washington Sundar as the second spin/all-round option depending on the thickness of grass.
- Quick pack: Bumrah, Siraj, Prasidh Krishna—with Nitish Kumar Reddy as a seam-bowling option in the squad.
India’s official squad list confirms the core names.
West Indies squad highlights: Chase (c), Warrican (vc), Chanderpaul, Athanaze, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach (wk), Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre (maiden call-up), Jayden Seales.
Broadcast & streaming — what’s “free”, what’s not
- India TV: Star Sports network.
- India digital: JioHotstar app/website (earlier JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar merged into JioHotstar under the JioStar JV). Plans vary; ad-supported/free windows have been used for some live sports in 2025, but check the app banner today for your device/plan.
- U.S.: Willow TV (providers & standalone).
Sources: broadcaster listings this morning and platform advisories.
Quick tip: Open JioHotstar on mobile/TV and look for the IND-WI page; if it shows “Watch Free” you’re on an ad-supported stream; if it prompts for a plan, choose monthly/annual as needed.
Matchday rhythms to watch
The toss (9:00 AM IST): On a grassy morning, the captain who wins may still bat first to avoid fourth-innings turn/variable bounce—but cloud cover or tacky moisture could tempt a bowl. Expect Gill to emphasize first-innings runs > 350 as the bedrock.
Session 1: New-ball exam: 3–5 wickets decide whether the day tilts. Bumrah v Chanderpaul is a framing duel; for WI, Seales needs a probing channel at 135–138 kph.
Session 2: Leg-side fields for control if run-rate surges; Jadeja aims to lock an end.
Session 3: Second-new-ball economics—if India bat, look for a late dash; if they bowl, hard lengths post-80 overs.
Micro-battles
- Bumrah to Hope: nip-backer after two that hold their line.
- Siraj to Chanderpaul: forcing him across to beat the inside edge.
- Jadeja to Athanaze: tempting with drop-and-drift from around the wicket.
- Seales to Rahul: fifth-stump temptation vs a cover-drive itch.
The goal for West Indies is time. A 110-over first innings over two days is a win in their book.
Form guide & pressure points
India ride the bounce of a T20 title and a hard tour of England; format reset and patience are the buzzwords Gill repeated this week. West Indies have had a turbulent year in Tests and a patchy white-ball hop across Asia; the captain himself framed their Test status as “not in a good position”—aiming at grit, not fireworks.
Probable XIs (projected)
India: Y. Jaiswal, K. Rahul, S. Gill (c), D. Padikkal, KL/Sudharsan* (slot fluid based on XI balance), D. Jurel (wk), R. Jadeja (vc), Axar/Washington, J. Bumrah, M. Siraj, P. Krishna. Bench cover: Kuldeep Yadav.
West Indies: T. Chanderpaul, K. Anderson/J. Campbell, S. Hope, A. Athanaze, R. Chase (c), J. Greaves, T. Imlach (wk), J. Warrican (vc), K. Pierre, A. Phillip, J. Seales.
(Final line-ups at toss.)
“Dream11”-style fantasy radar (responsible play)
Safe anchors (IND): Gill, Jadeja, Bumrah.
Form punts (IND): Jaiswal (starts big at home), Siraj (new-ball value).
WI value picks: Seales (if grass holds), Hope (technique for long stays), Warrican (fourth-innings bite).
Captaincy ideas: Gill/Jadeja; differential: Bumrah day-one burst.
Fantasy is volatile; lock after toss and track late XI changes.
Session targets (what good days look like)
- IND batting Day 1: 285–320/6 at stumps = ahead; 240–260/8 = par; <200 all out = trouble.
- WI batting Day 1: 230–260/7 = par; >300/6 = steal; <180 all out = India control.
These bands assume grass + early seam, then easier scoring later.
What a result might need
- India win: New-ball strikes + 1 top-order century + 50-over Jadeja squeeze + one late-day burst from Bumrah.
- WI win/upset draw: Bat time Day 1–2; deny India a three-session squeeze; find 7+ sessions of occupation across the match.
Fans’ guide: how to watch
India (TV): Star Sports network.
India (digital): JioHotstar app/website; some users may see ad-supported access, others a prompt for plan selection—check in-app today.
USA: Willow TV via cable bundles (Dish, Spectrum, Xfinity, Fios etc.) or standalone.
Tickets: Check BookMyShow/local box offices for Ahmedabad allocations.
The broader season arc
India laid out a home plan: flatter decks vs West Indies, then more spin for South Africa later in the year. This series is also about bench audition—Padikkal, Sudharsan, Jurel hardening under Test tempo; the quicks settling workloads before a long winter.
Schedule recap (for the fridge)
- 1st Test: Oct 2–6, Ahmedabad — 9:30 AM IST starts; toss 9:00 AM.
- 2nd Test: Oct 10–14, Delhi (Arun Jaitley Stadium) — 9:30 AM IST starts.
(Initial planning saw Kolkata in some early lists; BCCI/series pages show Delhi as final.)
Live blog & updates
We’ll carry session-by-session updates and key moments through the day. For ball-by-ball, see official and broadcaster feeds starting 8:30–9:00 AM IST.
Why this matters (beyond the scorecard)
India’s home WTC tally often decides their finals run; slip a Test here and you’re playing catch-up. For West Indies, it’s about time in the middle and discipline—even in defeat, an innings crossing 350 and a fourth-innings fight shifts narratives. For both boards, it’s a test of the new broadcast era after the JioCinema–Hotstar merger into JioHotstar, which is reshaping how Indian fans watch cricket on phones and TVs.
#INDvWI #TestCricket #AhmedabadTest #WTC #ShubmanGill #JioHotstar #StarSports #EdenToDelhiClarified
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