India captain Shubman Gill hailed his team’s performance as a “perfect game” after they crushed West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in the opening Test at Ahmedabad on Saturday.
India dismissed the West Indies for 162 and 146, while posting 448-5 before declaring at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Centuries from opener KL Rahul, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel, combined with incisive bowling and sharp fielding, paved the way for a comprehensive win.
“Very happy with the win. Honestly, I think this was a perfect game for us,” Gill, who scored 50, said at the presentation ceremony. “Three centurions in the match, and we fielded really well in both innings. We don’t really have any complaints.”
With West Indies missing key bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph due to last-minute injuries, Gill admitted he and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (36) had hoped to make bigger contributions.
“The wicket was pretty good to bat on,” he said. “We both got starts but couldn’t convert. Thankfully, other batsmen stepped up, so I’m happy for them.”
Jadeja’s unbeaten 104 marked his fifth Test century, and he also took four wickets to earn the player-of-the-match award.
“I’ve been working hard on my batting,” said the India vice-captain. “I had a two-month break with no Test or ODI cricket, which allowed me to focus on skills and fitness. A few years ago, I batted at eight or nine, but now at number six, I have time to prepare and pace my innings.”
West Indies captain Roston Chase acknowledged the difficulty after his team’s first-innings collapse.
“We probably didn’t even have any 50-run partnerships,” he said. “In cricket, partnerships matter, whether batting or bowling. We need to build partnerships, and that will make things easier for us.”
The second and final Test of the series is set to begin in New Delhi on October 10.
