We are here to learn from India: WI fielding coach

A month into one of their most arduous tours in recent years, West Indies fielding coach Nic Pothas on Wednesday said the visiting team is in India not just to compete, but also learn from their fancied opponents. “They’re a great team to learn from. We don’t just play against India, we learn from them too. These are great opportunities when you come and play against teams of this quality,” Pothas said on the eve of the fifth and final ODI against India here.

Asked if they have any special plans to counter Indian captain Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Pothas said the focus is not just on the inform duo. “Look, if I had special plans, which I do, I’m certainly not going to put them out in the media. But having said that, they’re world-class cricketers. You can’t go without mentioning guys like Shikhar Dhawan. Rayudu is in form. Lots of fantastic players - that’s what you get with such a strong team.”

Trailing 1-2 in the series, he said the young West Indies team is getting better all the time. “It is a very young team. Not just from an international point of view but a volume of 50-over cricket point of view. I think like anything, when you play at this level, whatever sport it might be, it’s always going to come down to execution over a long period of time.

“Our guys are learning all the time and they’re having to learn at international level, which is never easy. But they’re getting better all the time and importantly they’re open to that learning. We’re very positive,” he said at the pre-match press conference.