India vs West Indies Test Series: How Tagenarine Chanderpaul Plans to Tackle the Subcontinent Grind

The test series between India and West Indies will give us a glimpse of some future cricket stars. While India has already shown loads of talent, West Indies are still searching for the faces who could lead them in the years to come. Luckily, they have found a batter who has all the ingredients to become a test great. The good thing is that he also belongs to a family that has given so much to Caribbean cricket. The guy is none other than Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the newest sensation of the West Indies test batting.

As the name suggests, Tagenarine Chanderpaul is the son of West Indian great Shivnarine Chanderpaul. He has grown as a formidable test batter under the guidance of his father. If we look at the batting style of Tagenarine, we could clearly see glimpses of Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s class in it. The young batter has performed tremendously well in the WI domestic circuit, which is why he has been called by the selectors to represent the next age of the West Indian test team at the international level.

Since his debut in December 2022, Tagenarine has played for West Indies in different countries. In his ten international tests, he has faced various types of bowling attacks. However, the challenge he will now encounter in India will be completely different from the previous ones. If he succeeds in this grind, he could become a source of inspiration for many young batters in the Caribbean.

Let’s take a look at how Tagenarine Chanderpaul is preparing for this unique challenge. It is quite clear that he has the potential to pin down the spin threat of India, which is why selectors have shown trust in him over some experienced names for this tour.

A Quick Look at Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s Batting Style & Technique

It is quite clear that Tagenarine Chanderpaul draws batting inspiration from his father. The way he settles in the crease and the stance with which he bats all indicate the guidance of Shivnarine Chanderpaul. He is one of those batters who believes in wearing down opposition bowlers by playing defensively. This is one of those traits that is hard to find in current West Indian batters. It is therefore said that Tagenarine Chanderpaul is a bit different from other batters who are technically very weak.

"I'm not much of a flashy player. So I just try to take my time and accumulate my runs with the odd boundary here and there. I think [batting time] goes with my [natural] game. But I also spend time batting balls at the nets and hope to replicate it [in a match],” said Tagenarine Chanderpaul.

This statement defines the fact that Tagenarine is bound to follow a legacy that has given many big names to West Indian cricket. His old-school batting style fits perfect for the Indian pitches that demand grit and patience throughout the day. It is expected that his mindset will play a key role in his success on Indian wickets, provided he stays firm with that.

Preparation for Red-Ball Grind in India

Tagenarine Chanderpaul is coming into the India vs West Indies test series on the back of strong red-ball performances at home. He is ready to take the grind even further, as getting success on this tour can define his career at the international level. The young batter has worked hard for this tour, keeping in view the spin threat that could challenge him in the humid Indian conditions.

“About the [Indian] conditions, it's a bit similar to some pitches back home. But just trying and getting some training sessions in and trying to adapt as much as possible.” said Tagenarine Chanderpaul.

The young batter also fully understands the class of Indian bowling. When India last toured the West Indies in 2023, Tagenarine Chanderpaul was in the team. He played Ashwin and Jadeja with real grit; however, he didn’t score as many runs as he had hoped.

"India has a great bowling line-up. So you can't take them for granted. You've got to go out there and give them the respect and try and score when you can. In the first Test [in Roseau], I didn't get too many runs. [In the] second Test, I batted some balls. Kind of threw it away in the first innings. But playing Ashwin and Jadeja… I can take some confidence from the second Test and do the right things going into this Test series." said Chanderpaul.

The confidence Tagenarine gained during that series will now help him to produce something magical on this tour. It would be interesting to see how he’ll make plans for each bowler, because India will come hard at him with a variety of spin options.

Final Words

Tagenarine Chanderpaul is well aware of the fact that he has been picked for the Indian tour based on his old-school batting credentials. It is the exact attribute his team requires from him during the India matches. The good thing is that he is built readymade for such scenarios. It will be interesting to see how he operates on Indian pitches, as this will present a stern test that will define his standing in the international test circuit.