India today recorded their biggest Test series win on the Caribbean soil with a 2-0 victory over the West Indies following a washout in the fourth match but ended up losing the number one spot in the ICC rankings, here.
Only 22 overs of play was possible on the opening day of the final Test match, which turned out to be the third shortest ever Test match in the history of longer format.
For the fourth successive day, not a single ball could be bowled, forcing the umpires to call off the match.
India became the top-ranked Test nation after Sri Lanka thrashed Australia 3-0 at home while Pakistan after their creditable 2-2 draw were No 2 in the rankings.
India required to win the series against the West Indies 3-0 to retain the number one spot but inclement weather along with deplorable drainage facility at the Queens Park Oval prevented play.
Pakistan are now on top of ICC Test rankings.
West Indies were 62 for 2 in those 22 overs of play. The worst part was that WICB and local authorities did not pay heed to proper drainage and recovery facilities.
August is considered to be a rainy season in Trinidad and Tobago and there was heavy rainfall prior to the Test match.
The groundsmen also did not cover the entire field after a heavy downpour which led to the bowlers' run-up being very soggy and it could not be dried up.
The other inexplicable factor was absence of a Super sopper, which is a mandatory feature in all top international cricket ground across the globe.
For India, Virat Kohli with 251 runs including a maiden double hundred was the top-scorer followed by Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul with 243 and 236 runs respectively with a century each.
The best all-round performer was Ravichandran Ashwin, who scored 235 runs with two centuries and claimed 17 wickets.
Pacaman Mohammed Shami also had a successful comeback post his knee surgery and 16 month hibernation getting 11 wickets in the process.
The two teams now move to Florida in the United States to play two T20 Internationals on August 27 and 28.
(REOPENS DEL 4)
At home, India have not tasted defeat since drawing the fourth and final Test of the 2012-13 series against England. During this period they have played 20 Tests, won 17 and drawn three, a fine record by any reckoning.
And their win-loss record over the last 20 Tests, both home and away, is 15-1. This is the sort of challenge the Australians face as they go into the series opener at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium on a pitch where the ball will "fly", according to curator and former pacer Pandurang Salgaonkar.
Australia have not won a Test -- let alone a series-- in India since 2004-05 when they defeated the hosts 2-1. Since then they lost 2-0 twice in four-game series and were whitewashed 4-0 on their last visit in 2012-13.
Also Australia's series victory in India prior to the one in the 2004-05 had come way back in 1969-70, an indication of how tough the Aussies have found it to overcome the hosts on the slow, turning pitches in this country.
India are expected to field two pacers and three spinners -- Ashwin, Jadeja and Jayant Yadav -- who was doing well in the series against England when he picked up an injury and had to sit out of the last Test against England followed by the one-off Test against Bangladesh.
The think tank also has the option of giving a Test debut to Chinaman bowler, Kuldeep Yadav who has replaced the injured wrist-spinner Amit Mishra in the squad.
Australian batting will revolve mainly around opener and vice-captain David Warner, who often gives the team flying starts back home, and captain Smith and the other batsmen will have to bat around these two biggies.
While Smith had averaged 40-plus with a highest score of 92 in the two Tests he figured in in 2012-13, 17 out of the left handed Warner's 18 Test hundreds have been scored either at home or in South Africa and he, thus, has a huge point to prove in the sub-continent.
In spite of the twin failures of young Matt Renshaw in the warm-up game in Mumbai, he is expected to partner Warner at the top of the order with Shaun Marsh and captain Smith to follow in that order.
