What

The second Test of the three-match series between India and West Indies

When

November 14-18, 2011. The game begins at 9:00 am, IST.

Where

Eden Gardens, Kolkata. A venue where the West Indies have historically dominated the Indians: they’ve won three of the eight Test matches played between the two sides and lost only once. However, India will look to wrap up the series here given that they have not lost a single Test match played at the venue after they lost to Pakistan by 46 runs in February 1999. In this 12-year period, India have won four of the six Tests played at the Eden.

The Teams

It is hard to imagine that India will make any changes to their playing eleven going into this Test. The bowlers, particularly the spinners, put on an impressive show in the Delhi Test. The only area where one could fault the Indians is that Gautam Gambhir (41 &22), Virender Sehwag (55 & 55) and Rahul Dravid (54 & 31) failed to convert their starts in both innings into more substantial scores. The same could be said of Yuvraj Singh (23 & 18) as well.

Having allowed India to escape with a victory in the first Test match, West Indies must be ruing a missed opportunity. The visitors, however, don’t have too many answers to their biggest problem ­– a weak batting department. Adrian Barath is the only genuine batsman in the 15-man squad sent to India and even his selection ahead of Kieran Powell (scores of 14 & 0 in the Delhi Test) does not guarantee an improved performance by the West Indies batting lineup.

Trivia:

• Sachin Tendulkar has aggregated more Test runs than the entire West Indies team that played the Delhi Test.

• Since the retirement of Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, West Indies have won only 14 out of 101 Tests (win percentage – 13.86). West Indies had won 42 out of 95 Tests in which these two played together (win percentage – 44.21).

Venue Stats:

India – played 36, won - 9, lost – 8, tied – 0, draw – 19 – win percentage – 25.00

West Indies – played 8, won - 3, lost – 1, tied – 0, draw –4 – win percentage – 37.50

Highest total in an innings: India 657/7 decl. in 178.0 overs v Australia – March 11, 2001

Lowest total in an innings: India 90 in 30.0 overs v West Indies – December 10, 1983

Best individual score in an innings: VVS Laxman (India) – 281 v Australia – March 11, 2001

Best bowling figures in an innings: Lance Klusener (South Africa) 21.3-4-64-8 v India – November 27, 1996

Average first innings score at Eden Gardens: Overall - 328, since 2000 – 405

Average second innings score at Eden Gardens: Overall - 312, since 2000 – 429

Result summary at Eden Gardens:

Head-to-head:

Last meeting against West Indies at Eden Gardens: Oct 30 – Nov 3, 2002

Brief scores: India 351 & 471-8; West Indies 497, Result - Match Drawn

Form guide (most recent listed first):

India: Won, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost (1 win, 4 losses)

West Indies: Lost, Won, Drawn, Drawn, Drawn (1 loss, 1 win)

The Squads

India: M S Dhoni (c & wk), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Virat Kohli, Varun Aaron, Ajinkya Rahane & Rahul Sharma

West Indies: Darren Sammy (c), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh (wk), Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Kieran Powell, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels & Shane Shillingford

All stats are as onas on October 12, 2011