Ahmedabad, Oct 2 (IANS) The West Indies have won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the opening game of the two-match Test series at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.

The match is also is India’s first home Test without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma or Ravichandran Ashwin since 2010.

After winning the toss, West Indies skipper Roston Chase said they are going with two seamers, two spinners and an allrounder. The side have also handed debuts to left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and pacer Johann Layne.

“Looks a good one. There will be a bit of moisture, it is Test cricket and we will have to handle that first couple of hours.

“It is a young side, we want to come out and play some good cricket. We don’t want to be batting last on this wicket as we know it will turn,” he said.

India skipper Shubman Gill, playing his first home Test as the side’s captain, said Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will be joined by three spinners in vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav, with Nitish Kumar Reddy being the seam-bowling all-rounder.

“We have got four Tests (at home) before the end of the year and we would like to win all four. Preparation has been good. Everyone is in great touch, it is about getting into the red-ball mindset. It looks like a very good surface. Not disappointed with losing the toss, it has been under covers and there might be some help early on,” he said.

Playing XIs

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj

West Indies: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Roston Chase (captain), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, and Jayden Seales

–IANS

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