India Vs West Indies 2023: Virat Kohli Recalls Last Test In Dominica Back In 2011 With Current Head Coach Rahul Dravid

The last time Team India played a Test match back in Roseau, Dominica was almost 12 years back in 2011 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. The match ended in tame draw as the Indian cricket team backed down from challenge of chasing down 180 runs in 32 overs on the final day, ending at 94 for 3.

Kohli is the only survivor from that team back in 2011, where current head coach Rahul Dravid was his teammate. On Sunday, Kohli posted a picture with Dravid from Roseau stadium recalling the 2011 match. “The only two guys part of the last test we played at Dominica in 2011. Never imagined the journey would bring us back here in different capacities. Highly grateful,” Kohli tweeted.

The only two guys part of the last test we played at Dominica in 2011. Never imagined the journey would bring us back here in different capacities. Highly grateful. _ pic.twitter.com/zz2HD8nkES — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 9, 2023

Dravid was dismissed for just 5 off 11 by former West Indies skipper Darren Sammy while Kohli scored 30 off 53 before being dismissed by Sammy as well. India, though, managed to take a 143-run first innings lead after scoring 347 with skipper Dhoni top-scoring with 74 and Suresh Raina scoring 50 and VVS Laxman notching up 56.

But centuries by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who scored 116 not out, and Kirk Edwards who scored 110, helped the Windies tally 322 in the second innings although Harbhajan Singh claimed 4/75. Ishant Sharma, who will make his commentary debut during the India vs West Indies series this week, was the ‘Player of the Match’ claiming 5/77 in the first innings of that Test match.

Meanwhile, former India opener Sunil Gavaskar wasn’t pleased by the performance of Team India coaching staff led by Dravid. Asked if any Team India batter had approached him for help with their technique, Gavaskar said, “No, no one has come. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman regularly came to me. And they would approach me with a specific problem and you could tell them something which you had observed.”

“I don’t have an ego about this, I could go and talk to them but since there are two coaches — Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathore – so sometimes you hold back since you don’t want to confuse them with too much information,” he added.

Team India will begin a two-match Test series under the new World Test Championship (WTC) Cycle on Wednesday with the first game at Roseau in Dominica.