Chetan Nerula on India’s epic win against the West Indies
Chetan Narula looks ahead to the second Test starting at Sabina Park, Kingston, tomorrow
Usually, toss time for a Test isn’t one of immense revelation beyond the respective playing XIs. Often conditions come into play a bit, for the first morning of a series always brings about a fresh dose of excitement. Thereafter, it is about batting until lunch and then giving shape to the innings, or vice versa for the bowling team.
In Antigua last week, though, toss time revealed in advance the picture that was to be painted over the course of the next four days. Once the teams were announced, only one of them looked capable enough to take 20 wickets. India, who had opted to bat, picked five front-line bowlers in the XI.West Indies, in comparison, had two.
Shannon Gabriel and Devendra Bishoo did their part, though. The former tested the Indian openers with pace, and Murali Vijay’s still sore thumb will attest to that. The Indian batsmen attacked the latter’s leg-spin, yet he managed to induce loose shots and pick up three wickets. Beyond them the hosts had little to offer, by way of pace or spin.
Subsequently, they were of no match to India’s five-pronged attack.Virat Kohli could bring out his pacemen at will, or put on the spinners. If neither worked in tandem, he would mix pace and spin from opposite ends.With 566 runs on the board, time was a luxury for him and a burden for the West Indies’ batsmen.
The Indian pacemen and spinners shared the 20 wickets on offer, ten-apiece. The hosts simply had no breathing space.
Kohli had said before the series kicked off:“We want to play aggressive cricket from the onset of the series. So we will go in with our best bowling attack into the first Test.”
He was true to his word, in achieving victory by an innings and 92 runs with a full day to spare.
“If we have a chance to win 4-0, then why not.We don’t need to be complacent. If we end up getting a 2-0 lead, it’s not that we’re playing for a draw in the next two Tests,” he said afterwards, sounding ambitious.
And why not, for it would be amiss to say that India aren’t hoping for a whitewash here. This statement isn’t one of intent rather it is of confidence. Kohli knows full well that he has a ready arsenal to fall back upon, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja yet to get a look-in.When you combine it with his attacking approach to field settings, and India’s batting might, it is a wonder that West Indies haven’t waved a white flag already.
As former West Indies’ quick Ian Bishop said:“India have a good allround bowling attack, with a lot of experience in Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami.
“R Ashwin has been bowling consistently well over the last couple years, and he is well supported by Amit Mishra and Jadeja.
“They are the No.2 Test side in the world for a reason, and they are playing the No.8 side. The gulf in class and experience is very obvious.”
It puts the onus on Jason Holder, and what he can do to inspire a team low on morale. Fans and ex-cricketers would want him to show a little more aggression.
There could be more intensity, particularly in the field, where they could offer fewer gaps thus not allowing the Indian batsmen to steal easy runs and keep the score ticking.
Poor fielding was a firm reason why India managed a 500-plus total despite three of their five frontline batsmen contributing only 45 runs between them.
Team selection could also focus on increased intent. Maybe, the skipper should try to include an extra bowler, likely to be uncapped Miguel Cummins. He is said to be in the Gabriel-mould with pace higher than that of workhorses Carlos Brathwaite and Holder himself.
Bishop said:“This is a team that is so young, they are just trying to look at what is the right combination. They are trying to find themselves and their identity. So, more important than what they did in this match is what they are going to do in the next match.
“Now the team has realised that they might really need a fifth bowler in order to get 20 wickets that is something we might see at Sabina Park.”
As the teams arrived in Jamaica earlier this week before the second Test starts in Kingston tomorrow, first reports were of a similar grassy pitch to those prepared for Caribbean Premier League games last week.
If true, it should allow the West Indies’ bowlers to be a touch more penetrative, something vital to their chances in this series.
At the same time, their batsmen will be left to fend for themselves against a settled Indian pace line-up.
Perhaps then, the agonised cricket faithful in the Caribbean should pray for their senior batsmen Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels, who share 100-plus Tests between them, to stand up and be counted for once.
The skipper shoud try to include an extra bowler, likely to be uncapped Miguel Cummins. He is said to be in the Gabriel mould with high pace