πππππ :Β West Indies vs Australia
ππππ : June 25,Wednesdayβ
ππππ : 19:30 PM ISTβββββ
πππππ :β Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
ππππππππππ : 1st Test 2025ββββ
35 Years of Hurt: Can West Indies Finally Beat Australia in Test series at home?
- Nathan Lyon has 52 wickets in 12 Tests against the West Indies at an average of 22.
- Jomel Warrican has 27 wickets in the last 4 Tests for West Indies.
- Australia has three wins and a draw in the last five Tests against the West Indies. But they have lost the last one.
West Indies vs Australia
TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar
Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website.
WI vs AUS Match Prediction & Analysis
For the first time in seven years, Australia will walk out for a Test match without either Steve Smith or Marnus Labuschagne in the playing XI. This will mark the return of the Aussie side to the Caribbean after a gap of 10 years. As the team travels to the Caribbean, the spotlight shifts to a younger generation tasked with continuing Australia’s dominance over the West Indies β a rivalry they have not lost since 1990.
Marnus Labuschagne has been left out of the squad for the first Test against West Indies, while Steve Smith will miss the match due to injury. In their absence, Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis have been named in the playing XI. On the bowling front, Brendan Doggett has been ruled out of the series with a hip injury, paving the way for Sean Abbott to join the squad as cover. Australia has recently lost the Test Championship final against South Africa by 7 wickets.
On the other hand, the hosts have left out Kemar Roach from the squad for the upcoming home Test series against Australia. In a bid to bolster their batting, the selectors have recalled Shai Hope and John Campbell. The team also features two uncapped players β Brandon King and Kevlon Anderson β both receiving their maiden Test call-ups. Young pacer Johann Layne is the new addition to the bowling unit, while Anderson Phillip retains his place. Layne, a 21-year-old fast-bowling allrounder from Barbados, has earned a place in the 16-man squad after an impressive run in domestic cricket, claiming 63 wickets in just 17 first-class matches.
Both teams last played a Test match against each other in 2024 at the Gabba in Brisbane. A match that West Indies will always remember! West Indies batted first to score 311 runs in the first innings, with three of their players scoring half-centuries. In return, Aussie skipper Pat Cummins took a surprising decision to declare the innings on 289 for the loss of 8 wickets, which gave West Indies a 22-run lead. Australia managed to bowl out West Indies for 193 runs in return, with Hazelwood and Lyon claiming 3 wickets each.
What happened next was completely out of the syllabus. Shamar Joseph picked up 7 wickets for 68 runs while limping to register West Indiesβ first test win over Australia after a gap of 20 years by just 8 runs. Steven Smith, who opened the innings, remained unbeaten on 91, looking at his teammates falling at regular intervals.
TEAMS PREVIEW
West Indies Preview
It’s been six months since the West Indies played their last test. With Roston Chase taking over the captaincy from Kraigg Brathwaite, he will have a huge task on his shoulders to make the impossible possible. Kraigg Brathwaite will open the innings with Mikyle Louis. Brathwaite has 442 runs in the last 10 tests at an average of 22. Against Australia, he averages a little better (25) with a century in 12 tests. Louis is still new to the test setup and has 358 runs in 18 innings so far. Returning Shai Hope will take the number three place. Hope averages 17 against Australia with the bat.
John Campbell is back in the squad after serving a doping ban. With the experience of 20 Tests, Campbell averages 26 while scoring 888 runs. He might come in the middle with Brandon King. Selector Darren Sammy spoke highly of him in the press conference. He might get a chance to play eleven. Skipper Roston Chase will come at number six. Chase has 115 runs with the bat against Australia in 2 tests. He has 4 centuries and 4 half-centuries at home with an average of 35.
Jayden Seals will lead the bowling attack with Chaseβs deputy Jomel Warrican. Seals has 38 wickets in the last 8 tests. This includes the test against Bangladesh, where he picked up 4 wickets with an economy of 0.31. Jomel Warrican will be the bowler to watch out for. He has 28 wickets in 4 tests. Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph will conclude the West Indies team. Shamarβs seven wickets in the last test against Australia handed WI a victory in the tests after a gap of 20 years.
Australia Preview
The drop in the average has left Marnus Labuschagne out of the squad. He opened the innings in the Test Championship final. In his absence, Sam Konstas will open the innings with Usman Khwaja. Konstas is set to make his third Test appearance, returning to the side after his two-match stint against India, where he made an impressive debut with a fluent 60 off 65 balls at the MCG. Khwaja has 517 runs against the West Indies in 6 tests at an average of 58. He is averaging 62 this year. He will be the batter to watch out for. Josh Inglis will come at number three. Inglis scored a century on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Galle earlier this year.
Cameroon Green will come in the middle with Travis Head, Beau Webster, and Alex Carey. Green made a comeback in the WTC final. Head averages 87 against the West Indies in 4 tests. This includes two centuries, with a career-best 175 runs. Webster scored 72 runs in the WTC Finalsβ first innings. He has 231 runs with the bat and three wickets with the ball in 4 tests. Carrey has 131 runs in 4 tests against the West Indies. He is averaging over 72 this year.
Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Matthew Kuhnemann, and Josh Hazlewood will lead the bowling attack. Starc has 34 wickets in the last 8 tests. Against the West Indies, he has 29 wickets in 7 tests. Cummins picked up 6 wickets in the first innings of the WTC final. He has 38 wickets in the last 8 tests. Hazelwood has 36 wickets in 8 tests against the West Indies.
Weather Conditions
The weather at Barbados is expected to be cloudy on match days, with temperatures ranging between 26 and 31 degrees Celsius. Winds will blow from the southeast at 10-26 km/h. Rain is expected on the last day. It is a bowling-friendly pitch. It is a paradise for both batters and bowlers as it offers balance in all innings. The wind will help the pacers swing the ball.
WI vs AUS Pitch Report
The game will be played at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, from 251th June from 7:30 PM onwards. The stadium has a capacity of 2000 spectators. It has hosted just 53 ODIs and 53 T20Is, and 55 Tests so far.
Toss: To Bowl
In 55 games hosted here, the result has favored the teams chasing the target on 20 occasions. The average first innings score is 333, four less than the second innings. The team winning the toss should bowl first.
