West Indies’ openers continue to struggle in the 2025–27 WTC cycle, averaging just 11.65 across 12 innings
Lack of a settled opening pair has exposed the middle order, leading to early collapses
India dominated in Ahmedabad, bowling WI out for 162 and declaring at 448/5 to enforce an innings defeat
West Indies cricket continues to sink deeper and deeper. The Caribbean have suffered an embarrassing defeat in the first Test against India in Ahmedabad. They have been beaten by an innings and 140 runs on the third day of the Test.
Continuing a year-long pattern of poor starts that has plagued the Caribbean side in the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle, openers John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul managed first-wicket stands of 12 and 2 in Ahmedabad.
Since the turn of the year, the West Indies have batted 12 times, and across those dozen innings, their openers have added scores of 10, 16; 8, 50; 10, 4; 7, 0; 11, 0; and 12, 12 -- averaging just 11.65, with only one stand reaching the 50-run mark.
2025 started with Kraigg Brathwaite-Mikyle Louis opening pair, against Pakistan away; then John Campbell replaced Louis for the first two matches against visiting Australia. The third WI vs AUS match saw two different openers -- Brandon King and Kevlon Anderson in the first, and John Campbell and Mikyle Louis in the second innings.
They have all but one in these 12 outings, and interestingly, they won when the opening stand touched the half-century mark (50 vs Pak in 2nd Test) -- by 120 runs in a low-scoring Multan match.
The lack of a settled opening pair has left West Indies vulnerable to early collapses, often exposing an inexperienced middle order to the new ball under pressure.
Evidently, they were bowled out for 162 in the first, then India declared at 448/5 overnight. Batting in the second innings, they were wrapped up on just 146 runs. Ravindra was named Player of the Match for his magnificent century and a 4-wicket haul in the second innings.
