India to begin next WTC cycle with two-match series in Caribbean

India will begin their 2023-2025 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a two-match series in the Caribbean on July 12. Dominica will host the first Test, which will be India's first at the venue in over a decade. The Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad will stage the second - and final - Test from July 20.

The Test series will be followed by three ODIs and five T20Is, with the tour set to end on August 13. The final leg of the tour - the last two T20Is - will be hosted at the ground in Lauderhill in Florida, USA. The Kensington Oval in Barbados will host the first two ODIs before the teams move back to Trinidad for the third ODI and the first T20I. Guyana will then stage the second and third T20Is.

"We also look forward to hosting India in the white ball fixtures and welcoming fans to attend the matches across the region, as well as in the United States," Johnny Grave, CWI CEO, said in a media statement. "It will be 18 days of entertainment for cricket lovers to enjoy and savour."

Grave also told ESPNcricinfo: "We are working closely with the ICC T20 World Cup team to improve the temporary infrastructure at the Broward County Cricket Stadium [in Lauderhill] for the August T20Is against India with a view to trialling new stands and hospitality facilities that could be used next June at the T20 World Cup. The two matches in Florida, therefore have greater importance as they will help with our T20 World Cup operational plans"

India had faced West Indies in the first-ever Test in Dominica, at Windsor Park, in July 2011. Local boy Alick Athanaze, who recently struck the joint-fastest half-century on ODI debut, could potentially make his maiden Test appearance against India at his home ground.

West Indies' home series against India is set to begin three days after the end of their ODI World Cup Qualifier campaign in Harare on July 9. Should West Indies make the final, their Test specialists will have a short turnaround before the Test series opener in Dominica. There is also a possibility of the Test players being pulled out of the final leg of the World Cup Qualifier to prepare for the home Test series.

West Indies' recent Test record at home is encouraging: they have won their last two series, against Bangladesh and England. India, too, have a strong Test record in the Caribbean, having won their last four Test series in the country.

India's Test team is facing some questions after their disappointing performance in the WTC final against Australia earlier this week. They have played both finals of the World Test Championship so far but were unable to win silverware. Rohit Sharma, in the aftermath of the defeat at The Oval, has asked for the team to play differently in ICC tournaments. "For the last eight-nine years we have been thinking the same way," he said, "That this match is important or this event is important, and it's not happening for us. So we have to think differently and do things differently. Our message and focus will be on trying to do things differently."