India desperate to restore pride
STRUGGLING: KOHLI’S MEN HAVE SEEN THEIR HALO SLIP
Stung by defeat in England and heading to Australia for a tough tour next month, India’s cricketers are looking for some confidence-boosting home victories against the West Indies.
The No 1 Test side and the winners of last week’s Asia Cup start as favourites against the West Indies in the series of two Tests, five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games.
“West Indies don’t have a team to compete against India. They don’t stand a chance at all,” veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh said ahead of the first Test in Rajkot starting tomorrow.
But India may not find it so easy, with series defeats this year in England and South Africa revealing some serious chinks in India’s armour, at least away from home.
India, under talismanic captain Virat Kohli, have new faces in uncapped batsman Mayank Agarwal and fast bowler Mohammed Siraj.
Siraj will bolster the pace attack led by Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav who could trouble the relatively young West Indian batting line-up.
Meanwhile spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are a formidable force on home turf.
The Jason Holder-led West Indies are arriving off the back of a successful home season where they drew a Test series against Sri Lanka and then drubbed Bangladesh 2-0. Batsman Sunil Ambris has already made his case for a place in the team after his unbeaten 114 in the tourists’ only warm-up game in India.
The former cricket powerhouses have been bolstered by the return of experienced quick bowler Kemar Roach who will join fellow pacemen Holder and Shannon Gabriel.
“India are the number one Test team. They have played some good cricket despite their last series (against England). It will be a good test for us,” said Holder, captain in 26 of his 34 Tests so far, said.
Holder also said leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo could prove to be key on turning Indian tracks.
“He has been around for a while and doing well. Conditions could favour him here.”