Test of India's bench strength begins (Preview)

Loss to India in the Twenty20 game summed up West Indies’ performance on the cricket field in the last couple of years or so. Yet another game was surrendered after failing to seize the key moments. Having Indian batsmen under control for the major part of the innings, bowlers and fielders lost discipline in the death overs to let India post an imposing total. It followed, yet another, inexplicable batting approach allowing asking rate to rocket so high, that, it had West Indian challenge as good as over. And that familiar frailty against spinners, offies in particular, was on the show.

A heavy loaded spin department of India having Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Yusuf Pathan in its ranks poses an equal threat if not bigger than Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and Co. Ajmal’s variations having doosras in abundance made West Indian batsmen look very ordinary at times. And, how they play against the Indian spinners could well have a bearing on the ODI series results that starts on Monday at the Port of Spain, Trinidad.

For West Indies, apart from poor on-field show, it is a case of not letting all that what is happening in administration circles to affect their performance. Arguably West Indies current best player, Chris Gayle, experienced batsman Shiv Chanderpaul and fast bowler Jerome Taylor aren’t part of the team due to their indifferences with West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). It isn’t helping the matters either, and, is making Darren Sammy’s side look very thin on experience.

The return of all-rounders Kieran Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, though, give the side some flexibility and some muscle in the middle order. Their presence in the field surely will lift the West Indian fielding effort. Batting will be bolstered youngsters Darren Bravo and Lendl Simmons and Ramnaresh Sarwan’s experience will lend stability to the fragile line-up.

Under pressure skipper Darren Sammy’s accurate medium pace bowling has been a revelation taking wickets consistently without going for much. This has, for the moment, allayed the doubts over his place in the side. The emergence of leg spinner Devendra Bishoo augurs well for the team’s prospect and fast bowling duo of Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul make a good opening combination.

India have a reason to be upbeat about this tour. Their first tour after world cup triumph two months back has a fairly new looking squad. Nine out of fifteen men that were part of the world cup winning squad miss out on the limited overs’ leg of Caribbean tour. The absence of regulars gives an ideal opportunity for youngsters who have performing well consistently in domestic cricket and the IPL to stake their claim for permanent spot in the team. That should bring best out of them.

Against a relatively weaker West Indian team, India’s bench strength will have to show that even second string team has a kind of depth to win a series abroad. For Suresh Raina, leading the side in MS Dhoni’s absence, the series gives him a chance to undo his poor record as a captain as his maiden stint in charge of Indian team in triangular tournament in Zimbabwe in 2009 had ended on a disastrous note. It also marks Duncan Fletcher’s first assignment as Indian coach that should give team reason to lift their game as well.

On paper, even a second string team looks a very balanced and stronger one. In batting it has all- class, muscle, flexibility and young enthusiastic cricketers, eager to perform at a big stage. Spin department, on the tour, is going to be its strongest assets on slow and low bouncy West Indian pitches. And, likes of Munaf Patel and Praveen Kumar are good enough to trouble any batting lineup. All this makes India favourites for the ODI series.

The home team will do well if they get their batting order right, come up with a solution to their spin woes, hold on to the catches, seize the crucial moments and, more importantly, forget the off-field distractions that have marred West Indies cricket for quite a while now. 

West Indies Squad: Lendl Simmons, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy (capt), Carlton Baugh (wk), Andre Russell, Anthony Martin, Devendra Bishoo, Ravi Rampaul.

Indian Squad: Suresh Raina (capt), R Ashwin, S Badrinath, Harbhajan Singh (vc), Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel, Parthiv Patel (wk), Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Vinay Kumar, Manoj Tiwary, Shikhar Dhawan.