The West Indies commence a two-Test series in India from October 4, with the first Test to be played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. Jason Holder’s men will need to defy recent history if they are to upstage the Indians in their own backyard – the West Indies have not won a Test against India since 2002 and in India since 1994-95.
Despite their decline in the past two decades or so, the West Indies still hold an advantageous head-to-head record in India – 14 wins and 11 losses from 45 Tests – which goes to show the extent to which they dominated India in Test cricket, both at home and away, during their heydays.
As we hope for a competitive showing from the Windies, here is a look back in time at the six instances of a West Indian batsman scoring a double-century in a Test against India, in chronological order.
207 by Everton Weekes, First Test, Port of Spain, 1952-53
This was India’s maiden Test in the Caribbean, and they began by posting a sturdy 417. The West Indies slipped to 36/2 in reply, at which point Weekes came to bat. He shared in stands of 101 with Clyde Walcott for the fourth wicket and 219 with Bruce Pairaudeau for the fifth wicket, before falling for a fine 207 that took 445 minutes and featured 20 fours. The West Indies took a lead of 23, but the match was drawn.
237 by Frank Worrell, Fifth Test, Kingston, 1952-53
After India were bowled out for 312, Worrell regaled the crowd with his second Test double-hundred. Coming in at 36/1, he put on 97 with Pairaudeau for the second wicket, 197 with Weekes for the third, and 213 with Walcott for the fourth before being fifth out at 543 for 237. He batted for nine and a half hours, hitting 35 fours. The West Indies finished at 576, and the match ended in a high-scoring draw.
Clive Lloyd led from the front with a stellar 242* that carried the West Indies to a series-clinching win at Bombay in 1974-75 (source – Getty Images)
256 by Rohan Kanhai, Third Test, Calcutta, 1958-59
Gerry Alexander’s West Indians took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series with a thumping win by an innings and 336 runs at the Eden Gardens. Central to this huge triumph was Kanhai’s majestic 256 that propelled the West Indies to a match-winning 614/5. Kanhai, batting at number three, struck 42 fours during his 400-minute stay, and featured in century stands for the third, fourth and fifth wickets.
242* by Clive Lloyd, Fifth Test, Bombay, 1974-75
The series was tantalisingly poised at 2-2 coming into this final Test, the first at the Wankhede Stadium. Captain Lloyd led from the front with an unbeaten, career-best 242 from number four that formed the cornerstone of an imposing total of 604/6. The ‘Super Cat’ flayed the Indian bowlers for 429 minutes, hitting 19 fours and four sixes. The West Indies went on to win by 201 runs, thereby securing the rubber.
250 by Faoud Bacchus, Sixth Test, Kanpur, 1978-79
Bacchus averaged a modest 26.06 in his 19-Test career and scored only one century, which he converted into a double and beyond. Opening the West Indian innings after India had amassed 644/7, he batted for eight and a half hours in scoring 250, studded with 33 fours, before getting out hit wicket. Bacchus’ performance guided the West Indies to 452/8, and the safety of a draw. India won the six-Test series 1-0.
233 by Carl Hooper, First Test, Georgetown, 2001-02
Captaining the West Indies on his home ground of Bourda, Hooper produced a career-best innings that was the highlight of a drawn match. Arriving at the crease at 44/3, he first shared in a stand of 113 with Ramnaresh Sarwan for the fourth wicket, before putting on 293 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul for the fifth wicket. His 233, scored off 402 balls in ten and a half hours, lifted the West Indies to 501.
The Cricket Cauldron 