IND vs WI: Kumble bowls with broken jaw and other top moments

The wait is almost over. Team India will finally be in action again this week as they take on West Indies in a two-Test match series in the Caribbean, with the first Test starting from 12 July in Dominica.

Both the Tests will be part of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, and Rohit Sharma and Co will seek a fresh start after losing to Australia in the WTC 2023 Final in London.

Both India and West Indies share a storied rivalry dating back to their first-ever Test series in 1948, and have faced each other on 98 occasions since then. The second Test to be held at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad that starts on 20 July will be the 100^th Test between the two countries.

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Let’s now take a look at some top moments from India’s past Test series in West Indies:

Ajit Wadekar inspires India to maiden Test series win in West Indies

India, under the captaincy of the late Ajit Wadekar, created history on their tour to West Indies in 1971.

Before this series, India were yet to beat West Indies in a Test match, be it home or away. But, Wadekar and his men put up their best foot forward to add a historic feather to the cap in India’s cricketing journey. They beat the Windies 1-0 in a five-match Test series.

Jamaica’s Sabina Park played host for the first Test. Dilip Sardesai scored a memorable double century, after being put into bat. India posted 387 on board, but in reply West Indies faltered to 217 despite efforts from Gary Sobers, Rohan Kanhai and Roy Fredericks.

India then enforced follow on to the hosts, and this time, Rohan Kanhai scored a valiant century, while Sobers scored 93. West Indies were 385/5 and the match eventually ended in a draw.

The second Test in Port of Spain was the historic one. A splendid bowling effort from Bishan Singh Bedi and Erapalli Prasanna would help India dismiss West Indies for 214 in their first innings, and in reply, India posted 352 on the back of a fine century from Dilip Sardesai. Jack Noreiga picked up nine wickets for the Windies.

In West Indies’ second innings, S Venkatraghavan went on take a five-wicket haul to see the hosts off for 261, and India would go onto chase down the target of 124 with ease, with seven wickets to spare. Sunil Gavaskar remained unbeaten on 67.

The third, fourth and fifth Tests, like the first, ended in hard-fought draws.

Anil Kumble bowling with a broken jaw

In what was a horrific blow for India during their 2002 tour to West Indies, Anil Kumble was hit on the helmet by a freak Marv Dillon delivery during the fourth Test. Scans later suggested that Kumble had hurt his jaw badly, and could also be seen spitting blood while the medical team treated him with ice packs.

Kumble had to undergo surgery for his broken jaw, but instead of taking the flight to India, he came out to bowl with a bandage on his face.

Kumble would then go onto brave his injury and pain, and take the wicket of the legendary Brian Lara, who was struck LBW. Kumble would go onto bowl a total of 14 overs, finishing with figures of 1/29, as the match ended in a draw.

Jasprit Bumrah hat-trick

Jasprit Bumrah was on a roll in the 2019 cricketing season, and to add to that, the lethal pacer bagged a hat-trick in a Test match against West Indies in the Caribbean. India were playing West Indies in the second Test in Kingston in August 2019, and having been asked to bat first, India welcomed it with open arms to post 416. This was on the back of a century from Hanuma Vihari, and fifties from Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma.

And yet, Bumrah stole the limelight with his splendid figures of 6/27 to rattle West Indies out for 117. He claimed his hat-trick in the ninth over, when he got rid of Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks and Roston Chase.

That was Bumrah at his peak and dominance of the highest level.

West Indies were later set a target of 468 to win the Test, and a bowling attack led by Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja (three wickets each) would help India see off West Indies for 210.

Wasim Jaffer stands tall in Antigua

In a match that had the pendulum swinging both ways, Wasim Jaffer stood tall during India’s first Test against West Indies in Antigua in June 2006.

India were all out for 241 in the first innings, and gave away a 130-run lead to the hosts after they responded with a total of 371, but the turning point came in India’s second innings, when Wasim Jaffer struck an unforgettable double century.

India got off to a strong start in their pursuit of breaching Windies’ first-innings lead, and while it was a collective batting performance, Wasim Jaffer’s 212 stood out among the rest. Captain Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni also scored fifties, while Virender Sehwag (41), Mohammad Kaif (46*) and Yuvraj Singh (39) contributed as well.

India declared at 521/6, and set West Indies a target of 392. Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dave Mohammed all scored fifties, but a target of 392 was not going to be easy. Fortunately, the Windies narrowly escaped defeat after ending the Test at 298/9, but the Test will be remembered for Jaffer’s heroics with the bat, when India needed a step up at the most crucial time.