“I am here for the cricket.”
That’s the common answer one gives when asked about the purpose of this trip to the Caribbean. Usually, people tend to land in this part of the world for a holiday, frolicking on the many brilliant beaches, in the turquoise waters and under a golden sun. The residents here, on any and every island, are not used to many fans flying in nowadays, and certainly not for Test cricket.
Test cricket? Er...
Any conversation about the game starts off with the on-going Caribbean Premier League. Let it be said, that tournament is huge here, even as it hops from one island to another and is being played in parallel to the West Indies-India Test series. It has grown from year to year, capturing everyone’s attention, and is the best vantage point if you really want to witness the passion for cricket here.
It explains the hullabaloo created over the omission of two-time World T20 winning captain Darren Sammy for the Florida T20s (later in August), even as the Indian contingent landed in St Lucia. A “30-second phone call from the selectors”, he claimed, has nearly ended his international career. Needless to say, local fans are upset. And you don’t really have the courage to explain that eight runs in three innings in the 2016 World T20, and just the one wicket, are not enough to get a call-up.
“A captain’s name must be the first on the team sheets, and at present Sammy doesn’t warrant selection,” you want to say. You don’t, fearing a barrage of statistics from T20 leagues around the world being thrown back at you. But this is the Caribbean; they are pretty relaxed here, and getting worked up over cricket statistics is not part of their daily routine.
Of course, before the conversation dies, it does gradually shift to Test cricket. Everyone wants to know, even if only in passing, how the series is going. India’s demi-god cricketers are playing here after all.
“That was a sensational fight back to draw the second Test,” you do tell. People are surprised, mostly. West Indies were expected to just roll over and die. And yes, not many have heard of Roston Chase.
“He batted all day,” you say, as if it matters in the backdrop of T20 cricket blazing the nights here. The tournament was here, at the Darren Sammy Stadium, just about a fortnight ago. The stands were packed, but to expect the same number of people to show up for the third Test is folly. So what if West Indies showed the stomach for a fight in the last game?
A chance to rebuild for the West Indies
The pitch, meanwhile, is almost a throwback to the CPL visit. Stand close, and you can see hints of some moisture. But that should dry off within the first hour, and thereafter it will be a batting beauty. Dry grass is aplenty on the surface and there will be some turn here for sure, but only after the batsmen have had their say. It is a chance for the hosts to carry on the momentum, and make another statement.
Jason Holder had ticked a couple areas where his team had made immense improvements as they travelled from Antigua to Jamaica. Bowling was a marked area, and they kept the Indian batsmen on a tight leash. And then there were the partnerships in the lower-middle order, with Chase putting his hand up and others giving him tremendous support. Sure, the pitch eased out on day five, but that second innings should be celebrated long in the current annals of West Indies’ cricket.
It gives them a chance to build on, for their top-order to step up collectively, as the skipper had pointed out. In all their innings, four of the top five batsmen have been blown away by the onslaught of India’s attack. If they can somehow withstand this barrage, we might just get to see a competitive Test, not just one innings.
The selectors have obviously worked on this, and brought in Shai Hope to replace the hapless Rajendra Chandrika, whose Test career looks to be over. The replacement opener had scored an unbeaten hundred in India’s first tour game in St Kitts, and Holder will be hoping he can provide that solidity now when it matters. The visitors, however, will be more worried about the inability of their attack to close out the second Test on a day five pitch, especially as they are faced with a similar track here.
India need changes too
So, what might Virat Kohli be thinking? For sure, he is not looking to change the combination too much. Murali Vijay still doesn’t look fully fit. And given the pitch, five bowlers are a sure shot in the third Test too. Additionally, Bhuvneshwar Kumar wouldn’t be too useful on a dry pitch, while Shardul Thakur is an unknown commodity. No, Kohli will very much want to persist with Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav, along with Mohammed Shami.
At the same time, though, Kohli will be wary of his pacers’ tendency to lose their line and length, and the long time they take adjusting to different conditions. With the pitch easing out on day five at Sabina Park, the Indian skipper needed Ishant and Yadav to attack the stumps more. Instead, they bowled too short and mostly wide.
Ravindra Jadeja thus provides a potent option to be played as an attacking spinner, one who doesn’t err in line and length, and looks to make the batsmen play at all times. Amit Mishra in contrast can err massively, as he did in a poor display in Kingston, and this heaps pressure on R Ashwin at the other end.
Based on that last performance alone, Kohli shouldn’t have too many problems dropping Mishra and bringing in Jadeja. But will he?
