India Set to Retain Winning Combination for Second Test Against West Indies in Delhi

After their emphatic victory in the opening match, India will take on the West Indies in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, starting on October 10. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed ahead of the clash that the team is unlikely to make any changes to the playing XI that dominated the first Test, signaling confidence in the current combination.

One of the focal points of Doeschate’s pre-match press conference was the role of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy (NKR), whose contribution in the first Test was limited. Reddy bowled four overs in the first innings, including one maiden, conceding 16 runs. He did not get a chance to bat or bowl in the second innings. Despite the limited involvement, Doeschate reaffirmed the management’s trust in the young player’s potential.

“I’d say we’re unlikely to change the combination,” Doeschate said. “One of the objectives, one of the sort of medium-term objectives, is to develop a seam bowling all-rounder for India. It’s very important when we go away on tours that we have that position coming. We think he’s a fantastic seam bowling all-rounder. He’s the same sort of character of player where we don’t doubt their skills at all, but for their bodies to hold up to play Test cricket is a different matter.”

India’s likely playing XI for the Delhi Test remains: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj.

Doeschate also shed light on India’s broader strategy for the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle (2025–27), highlighting the importance of providing young players with exposure during home series. “I think a series like this where you look at the combinations, it’s more important to look ahead and see how he [Nitish Kumar Reddy] gets game time and a chance to develop his bowling,” he explained. “The only sort of downer from last week from that first Test was the fact that Nitish didn’t get to compete in any of the departments. But it’s also a strong message to the guys fighting for that spot — you need to be versatile, you need to be able to bat anywhere from number five all the way through to eight.”

With pace all-rounders like Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur focusing on white-ball formats, India sees Reddy as a long-term option in the red-ball setup. Having already scored a memorable hundred in Melbourne during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, the 21-year-old continues to be groomed as a key player for future overseas tours.

India’s Test schedule continues later this year with two matches in Kolkata and Guwahati in December, where Reddy could have further opportunities to cement his role in the team.