The way India’s Shubman Gill and West Indies’ Roston Chase — both still new to captaincy — spoke during the press conference on the eve of the second Test, starting Friday, offered a glimpse into their teams’ state of mind. Not that both Shubman Gill and Roston Chase were trying to hide something, nor was there anything to hide. Yet, it was hard not to peer through the small window that they had left ajar for a brief period while speaking.
Up against a formidable Indian side playing in home conditions, West Indies, under Roston Chase, are fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead as they gear up for the second and final Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla, especially in the aftermath of a humiliating innings and 140-run loss in the opening Test at Ahmedabad.
I will always give my all for maroon- Roston Chase
Concerns about their skills and temperament in red-ball cricket grew after the visitors failed to cross 200 in either innings over 89.2 overs. Batting legend Brian Lara publicly questioned the team’s commitment, while funding issues and talent drain to lucrative T20 leagues add to the challenges. Skipper Roston Chase believes the solution starts with good starts and building from there.
“I don’t think the guys are lacking confidence. But it’s just to get that one score, to get that start, to then kick on from there… once you obviously get that good innings or that hundred or that big fifty, that then gives you the confidence to know that I can actually do it,” Chase said in the pre-match press conference.
Roston Chase added,
“When you get out there, and you don’t start well as a batting unit and the pressure is on – it’s for us to soak up that pressure as batters, and still find a way to score and put back the pressure on to the Indian bowlers. So I just think that is the biggest challenge for us. I don’t think that we’re not confident. I just think that we just need to get that start and kick on and we’ll be fine.”
Roston Chase has also sought guidance from legends Lara, Sir Viv Richards and Sir Richie Richardson.
“They basically said the same thing, they just told me to keep believing that obviously we’re down right now, but it has to change at some point,” he said.
“The change can start from now, but it starts with the belief and the mindset of each and every player… don’t fall from that moment,” he added.
Analysing on why the younger batters in his side struggle to sustain long innings, Roston Chase pointed to experience and confidence.
“Just that know-how of going out there and facing good attacks for longer periods… stay positive at the crease and always look to score. Even though it’s Test cricket, I don’t think that you can just go out there looking to survive… once you get past that, keep that hard focus for longer periods,” he said.
Roston Chase has yet to taste success in four Tests as captain — losing three to Australia at home and one to India away. West Indies have lost 14 of the last 20 Tests (with four wins and two draws). They have failed to beat India in the last 26 Tests, a drought stretching back to 2002. Even individually, Roston Chase hasn’t been doing well. His last Test hundred came in 2019. He has only four fifty-plus scores in last 24 Tests. It’s difficult not to feel dispirited. Reflecting on his own batting, Roston Chase said,
“I feel good at the crease… it’s Test cricket, it’s a different format so you have to bat for longer periods… They say to make a test century is four sessions – so it’s just digging deep for those four sessions and trying to stay in the now… play each delivery on merit, not what you think. I think that led to my downfall in the last game.”
Asked about the perceived decline in hunger due to franchise cricket, Roston Chase reaffirmed his commitment, saying :
“Red-ball is the foundation… All the legends of cricket have been made from red-ball cricket. It’s the ultimate test and the ultimate challenge… I gave up my chance to play franchise cricket, and I’m taking up the captaincy role now, which is a big step. So that just goes to show that I want to be here and want to play for the maroon. I will always give my all for the maroon.”
After loosing the First Test inside 2 and a half days by an innings and 140 runs , West Indies Roston Chase somewhere deep inside his mind only believes to stay positive and make a fight out of the Second Test match scheduled to take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium New Delhi on 10th October 2025.
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