Cricket fans tuning in to the opening Test of the India versus West Indies series at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 2, 2025, were met with a curious sight: thousands of empty seats. Even as India’s pace attack tore through the West Indies batting order, the sparse crowd prompted heated debate about the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) venue selection strategy for Test matches. As the day unfolded, the on-field drama was matched by off-field conversations questioning whether the world’s largest cricket stadium is really the right stage for a lower-profile Test contest.
The West Indies, having won the toss and chosen to bat, found themselves in deep trouble from the outset. By lunch, they had already lost half their side, with the scoreboard reading a precarious 162 for nine by the end of their innings. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace spearheads, were relentless. Siraj finished with four wickets for 40 runs in just 14 overs, while Bumrah claimed three for 42, showing his trademark control and aggression. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with two wickets for 25 runs, and Washington Sundar grabbed a wicket for just seven runs, wrapping up a clinical bowling display that left the visitors reeling.
“Siraj grabbed 3-19 in the morning while Bumrah took a couple of overs to find his rhythm,” reported AP, highlighting how India’s pacers set the tone early. Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul was caught behind for an 11-ball duck, and Bumrah soon sent John Campbell packing for just eight. The West Indies top order simply couldn’t withstand the pressure, with their aggressive intent backfiring as wickets tumbled in clusters.
There was a glimmer of resistance when captain Roston Chase and Shai Hope stitched together a 48-run partnership for the fifth wicket—their best passage of play during the morning session. But Kuldeep Yadav broke the stand, bowling Hope, and after lunch, Chase was caught behind off Siraj. Lower order contributions from Justin Greaves, who top-scored with 32, and debutant Khary Pierre, who added 11 off 34 balls before falling LBW to Sundar, helped the visitors limp past 150. Yet, the innings lasted just 44.1 overs, a testament to India’s bowling dominance.
By the time India began their reply post-tea, the outcome of the day’s play was already tilting heavily in the hosts’ favor. Lokesh Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened with a solid partnership, putting on 68 runs off 110 balls. Jaiswal, aggressive from the start, struck seven boundaries in his 36 off 54 balls before being caught behind off Jayden Seales. Sai Sudarshan, playing at his Indian Premier League home ground, was trapped LBW for seven by Chase, leaving India at 90 for two.
Rain threatened to spoil the party, but after a brief 22-minute delay, play resumed. Rahul, battling leg cramps, displayed remarkable composure to reach his half-century off 101 balls. He finished the day unbeaten on 53, while new skipper Shubman Gill, leading India on home soil for the first time, was not out on 18. By stumps, India had reached 121 for two, trailing by just 41 runs and firmly in control.
While the action on the pitch was gripping, the lack of spectators in the stands became a talking point that overshadowed even the most brilliant of individual performances. Fans took to social media to voice their frustration with the BCCI’s decision to stage the Test at Ahmedabad. One fan wrote on X, “If we had to play a lower tier team, we should have ideally played them in a stadium that people want to watch Test cricket. Virat’s suggestion of having fixed Test venues should be looked at. Ahmedabad is the country’s biggest stadium, and to host a lower tier team at such a big ground makes it look empty. Ahmedabad is good for T20 marquee contests, not for Tests—even against a marquee team.”
The debate about Test venues is hardly new. India has used as many as 18 venues for Tests in the 21st century, a policy aimed at satisfying state associations and promoting the game across the country. But as the empty seats in Ahmedabad demonstrated, this approach has its drawbacks. In comparison, traditional cricketing nations like England and Australia have limited their Test matches to just nine or ten venues, ensuring packed stands and a vibrant atmosphere.
Virat Kohli, one of India’s most influential cricketers, has long advocated for restricting Test venues to a select few. Back in 2019, he remarked, “We should have five Test centres, period. I agree state associations and rotation and giving games and all that is fine for T20 and one-day cricket, but Test cricket—teams coming to India should know, ‘we’re going to play at these five centres, these are the pitches we’re going to expect, these are the kind of people that will come to watch’.” Kohli’s vision, echoed by many fans after today’s turnout, is for Tests to be played in cities like Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Delhi, Dharamsala, and Vizag—places with a proven appetite for the longer format.
This Test also marked a new era for Indian cricket. For the first time in 15 years, India fielded a home Test XI without the stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. The baton has been passed to a younger generation, with Shubman Gill at the helm and emerging talents like Jaiswal and Sudarshan stepping up to the challenge. Yet, the absence of household names and the choice of venue may have contributed to the muted response from the stands.
On the pitch, the West Indies’ struggles continued a long-standing trend. The Caribbean side has not beaten India in their last 25 Test encounters, home or away, a streak stretching back to 2002. Their batting frailties were on full display once again, with only Greaves managing to cross 30, and the rest succumbing to India’s disciplined attack.
As the first day drew to a close, India looked well placed to press home their advantage on day two. With Rahul and Gill at the crease, and a deep batting line-up to follow, the hosts will be eyeing a substantial first-innings lead. For the West Indies, the challenge is to regroup and find a way to break through a confident Indian top order.
Yet, as much as the scoreboard tells one story, the empty seats tell another. The BCCI faces pressing questions about how best to keep Test cricket thriving in India’s vast and varied sporting landscape. Whether the answer lies in fixed venues, better scheduling, or enhanced fan engagement, one thing is clear: the spectacle of Test cricket deserves a crowd to match its grandeur.
With the match delicately poised, all eyes will be on Ahmedabad once again tomorrow—not just for the cricket, but for the ongoing debate about where, and how, the soul of Test cricket in India should be nurtured.
