The West Indies could face a stern examination of their state of readiness for the ICC World T20 when they play India in a practice match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.
The regional team, which has been short on competitive fixtures has done well in previous warm-up matches against Zimbabwe and Warickshire, but the Indians will be a different prospect entirely.
The hosts and World Cup favourites recently won their sixth Asia Cup title coming off series wins in Australia and at home against Sri Lanka. The number one and two teams in the world will hope to use the match to make possible adjustment and final chances to their respective line-ups ahead of bowing into action later this week.
For the West Indies it will represent a first real opportunity to test the quality of a squad without the likes of key players Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine.
The occasion will mark a good opportunity for replacements like Carlos Brathwaite and Evin Lewis to face top quality opposition.Champions of inaugural edition in 2007, India and 2012 winners West Indies are the top two T20I sides but contrary to the hosts who have had 11 matches to the build-up, the Caribbean team last played a two-match drawn series in Sri Lanka in November last year.
