Less than a day after becoming the world No. 1-ranked Test nation, India made a solid start in the fourth Test against West Indies, picking up two wickets before rain halted play for the day in Trinidad. Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed one wicket apiece as West Indies reached 62 for two in the 22 overs available at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain. India assumed the top spot on the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings when Australia lost the third Test to be swept 3-0 in its series against Sri Lanka Wednesday. However, India's stay at the top could be short-lived, as it needs to beat the West Indies in the fourth Test to claim the series 3-0 and prevent Pakistan from leapfrogging it. India captain Virat Kohli acknowledged his team's improvement since it lost a four-Test series 2-0 in Australia early last year, but was in no danger of getting carried away with the ranking. He knows there will be bigger fish to fry than the struggling Windies, with eight home Tests looming against New Zealand and England before year's end. Ishant did not open the attack but after biding his time in the field for 11 overs, the lanky paceman struck with his first ball, a rising delivery that Leon Johnson, on nine, could only fend into the diving hands of Rohit Sharma at short leg. Off-spinner Ashwin then dismissed Darren Bravo in the 15th over with a beautiful delivery that pitched on leg stump and turned to take the number three's off stump. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite was unbeaten on 32 when rain stopped play, with Marlon Samuels on four. The Umpires subsequently suspended play for the day as the rain continued and the outfield become increasingly waterlogged. India made two changes from the third Test, bringing in opener Murali Vijay for Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara as an extra batsman in place of spinner Ravindra Jadeja. West Indies brought in leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo for pace bowler Alzarri Joseph. Bangladesh sacks coach Bangladesh cricket authorities said Friday they have sacked the national team's assistant coach Ruwan Kalpage after he failed to report for duty. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had asked Sri Lankan Kalpage to join the national team's conditioning camp by Aug. 16 ahead of a home series against England. Kalpage had reportedly expressed concerns over his safety in Bangladesh following an attack by militants on a Dhaka cafe last month that left 22 people, mostly foreigners, dead. Two other Sri Lankans — head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and fitness trainer Mario Villavarayan — as well as Zimbabwean fielding coach Richard Halsall have already joined the camp, after the BCB provided them with armed security guards.
