Welcome to the coverage of the first Test between India and West Indies in Rajkot on Thursday.

Following the scars of yet another overseas debacle, India will once again seek home comfort when they take on an inexperienced West Indies in a two-Test series starting in Rajkot on Thursday, aiming to get their combinations in order before the gruelling assignment in Australia.

India have endured series losses in South Africa and England over the last nine months but have still managed to remain the number one side in the longest format.

A comprehensive victory against the West Indies at this stage can only serve as a morale-booster to the Virat Kohli-led side which faces another stern test with the Australia tour beginning late November.

There is not much to gain for India against the eighth-ranked West Indies who on their part, will be trying their best to make an impression in one of the toughest places to tour and against a side which they have not beaten since 2002.

Teenage batting prospect Prithvi Shaw is poised to make his debut for India in the opening Test against West Indies starting in Rajkot on Thursday.

The 18-year-old right-hander was named in a 12-man squad on Wednesday for the first of the two-Test series and is expected to open alongside KL Rahul.

On the bowling front, India are expected to play three spinners -- Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav and Umesh Yadav will pair up with Mohammad Shami, who will be leading the pace attack in the absence of the rested duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and an injured Ishant Sharma.

Jadeja will be expected to perform with both bat and ball in the absence of an injured Hardik Pandya. After a successful ODI comeback with the Asia Cup, Jadeja will be raring to go on his home ground.

Another man who would be itching to take the field will be Rishabh Pant, who expectedly retained his place after a memorable 114 at The Oval in his debut series.