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The 2nd Test match between West Indies and Australia will be played starting from July 3 at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada. The match will be played from 7:30 P.M. Indian Standard Time (IST) onwards.
The West Indies stunned the visitors by dismissing them for a mere 180 runs in the opening game. Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph picked 5 and 4 wickets respectively to lead to the dethroning of the Aussie batters.
But Australia had the perfect reply ready for the hosts as well. The pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood didn't allow West Indies to get away as they were bowled out for 190 runs, taking only 10 10-run lead after the 1st innings proceedings.
West Indies were once again running rampant in the 2nd inning. For 65 runs, Australia was down to 4 wickets. But the crucial 102-run partnership between Travis Head and Beau Webster allowed Australia to post 310 runs on the board. Head scored 61 runs while Webster added 63. In his brief appearance, Alex Carey scored 65 runs off 75 balls.
Chasing a target of 301 runs, the host West Indies fumbled badly. The Caribbean side was bowled out for just 141 runs with Josh Hazlewood bagging 5 wickets for Australia. Travis Head was named Player of the Match for his 59 and 61 runs contribution in both innings.
West Indies now has the difficult challenge of making it 1-1 and opening their account in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-2027 points table, while Australia already leads the three-match series 1-0. After impressing in the first match with the ball, can the batters deliver a better performance for the host? We will find out in the West Indies vs Australia match prediction below.
The West Indies have an average form in the lead-up to the match. In their last 5 matches, the Caribbean side has won only two matches. They beat Bangladesh in the first of the two-match series while they got another W against Pakistan. However, they did suffer a defeat in their previous match against Australia.
As for Australia, they have a great form leading up to the match. Although they lost against South Africa in the WTC 2023-2025 Final, they had beaten India and Sri Lanka in their previous series, registering a 2-0 win vs Sri Lanka. They also beat the West Indies in the previous match and lead the series 1-0 already.
The hosts, the West Indies, did quite well in the 1st Test, especially their bowling unit. The Caribbean bowlers troubled the visitors aggressively. Jayden Seales bagged a 5-fer in the first inning, while it was Shamar Joseph who picked 5 in the 2nd inning, not to mention his 4-wicket haul in the first inning.
However, the batters were significantly disappointing. After getting the Aussies out for 180 runs, West Indies were also bowled out for a meagre 10 runs lead, thanks to Roston Chase and Shai Hope’s 44 and 48 runs knocks. Earlier, the big names like Kraigg Brathwaite, Brandon King didn't deliver well. The same issue persisted in the 2nd as the West Indies were bowled out for 141 runs while chasing a 301-run target.
Australia at one stage certainly had their heartbeat beating rapidly after they were bowled out for 180 runs in the 1st inning and were reduced to 4 wickets for 65 runs. The top-order batters struggled against the West Indies’ attack in this match. Sam Komstas failed to make an impact in both innings while Usman Khawaja scored 47 runs in the first inning.
Cameron Green at number 3 failed in both innings, while the same story was for Josh Inglis. The good news for Australia in this match is that Steve Smith is available for selection. He could be in the team for Inglis at number four.
As for bowling, Australia doesn't have any reason to worry. The trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood is great for any conditions. Josh picked a 5-fer in the 2nd inning. Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon is a veteran spinner with great experience under his belt.
Australia has dominated the West Indies vs Australia head-to-head stats. In 120 head-to-head matches between the two teams, Australia has won on 61 occasions with West Indies winning on 33 occasions. 25 matches ended in draws, and a match was also tied between the two teams.
The National Cricket Stadium pitch in Grenada offers a batting-friendly pitch. Although there is likely movement available with the new ball, especially on the first day of the match. But it gets better to bat on as the game progresses. Pacers have found more success at the venue compared to the spinners, but they cannot be completely ruled out. The average first inning score here is 278 runs, which goes up to 365 runs in the 2nd inning.
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Brandon King, Roston Chase (c), Shai Hope (wk), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican (vc), Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales.
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
Wicket-keeper batter Shai Hope is going to be the key player for the West Indies team in this match. He was the team’s best batter in the last match. He scored 48 runs in the 1st inning but was unlucky in the 2nd inning. In every aspect of the game, he has been among the team's top batters.
Travis Head's outstanding batting in the most recent game earned him the Player of the Match award. Head scored 59 runs in the first inning, followed by 61 runs in the 2nd inning for the visitors, playing the pivotal role in the side’s victory.
Shamar Joseph was once again the most standout bowler for the West Indies against Australia. Joseph was lethal in every phase of the game, troubling the Australian batters. In the most recent game, he claimed nine wickets overall, including a five-fer in the second inning.
For Australia, Josh Hazlewood is a clever bowler. Hazlewood has great experience of bowling in crunch situations for the Kangaroos. He picked a 5-fer in the 2nd inning to dismiss West Indies for 141 runs in the 2nd inning.
Going by the previous match, this is going to be another great match between the West Indies and Australia. Australia will be looking to seal the series win while West Indies will be hoping to level things.
But, Australia has the upper hand pre-match. In addition to winning the last game against the Caribbean, Australia has a strong track record against the West Indies. Although the West Indies were outstanding with the ball, there were clear weaknesses visible as the batters couldn't stand in front of Australia's top-notch bowling.
And, although the Australian top-order batters struggled in the last match, they have some of the best batters in the world right now. Therefore, Australia currently has a definite advantage.
Disclaimer: CricOpinion provides predictions based on analysis, understanding, and intuition. Refer to records and stats before making decisions. You are not bound to follow these predictions. CricOpinion is not responsible for any losses, damages, or consequences resulting from the use of this information.
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