Looking ahead to the decider
Partab Ramchand - 15 May 2002
Let us for the moment, keep the farcical end to the largely dull
proceedings in the drawn fourth Test aside, think in the larger
perspective of the entire series and look ahead.
The most positive aspect of the contest is that the teams go into the
final Test at Kingston starting on May 18 at level pegging and with
everything to play for. This is the best scenario for any series. Only
once before, in 1976 have these two teams made it to the decider in
the Caribbean all square. Interestingly enough, that Test too was
played at Kingston and it is to be hoped that the unhappy aspects of
that game are not repeated.
Looking ahead to the decider, it would appear that the West Indies
have more reasons to be optimistic than India, notwithstanding the
fact that the teams are level. Past record and present form are two
very important criteria for analysing prospects. And on past record,
there is little doubt that the West Indies hold all the aces.
A record of five wins and three draws at Kingston is something that
will give the home team immense comfort. The pitch at Sabina Park is
probably the fastest and bounciest in the Caribbean and that is bound
to be a source of encouragement for their present speed quartet, even
if they are not in the class of their predecessors who bowled West
Indies to victories on this ground in 1962 (twice), 1976, 1983 and
1989.
On present form, however, there is little to choose between the two
teams. The strengths and weaknesses of the contestants have been all
too obvious. But if there is the lurking doubt that the momentum built
up by India in drawing the first Test and winning the second is not
being maintained, it exists with good reason. The ten-wicket defeat at
Bridgetown and the high-scoring draw at Antigua have raised more
question marks for the Indian side than for the home team.
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After the defeat in the third Test, I had written about the lack of
options the Indians had even if they wanted to force a change in
strategy. The Antigua Test proved this and now with Anil Kumble out of
action, the team management does have problems on the eve of the
decider.
True, India's main strike bowler in the last decade has not got a very
impressive record abroad, a fact augmented by his bowling on the
present tour. But there is little doubt that even when he is not
taking wickets, Kumble's presence is always a source of inspiration
for his younger teammates. Harbhajan Singh, for one, has made it clear
that he bowls well in tandem with Anilbhai.
There is no point in crying over spilt milk though and one has to look
ahead. But what can the Indians do to put up a match-winning squad? Do
they retain the line-up of three seam bowlers and one spin bowler,
something they have been sticking to since such a quartet pulled off
that notable triumph at Port of Spain? Or do they go in with Harbhajan
and Sarandeep with the pace bowlers not exactly covering themselves
with glory in the last two Tests?
And what about the batting? Do they retain Shiv Sundar Das who is
going through a lean patch? Or will they risk opening the batting with
Wasim Jaffer and Sanjay Bangar?
Whichever script they opt for, the question marks are bound to remain.
For, the opening duo and the bowling attack have presented the two big
worries for the team management. The success of Ajay Ratra has solved
the puzzle over the stumper's slot but there are no immediate
solutions to the two remaining problems.
The bowling in particular has worn an emaciated look. The fact that
Sachin Tendulkar sent down 34 overs in a Test match innings tells its
own tale. True, this was because Kumble was injured but in its own way
this symbolises the sorry state of the bowling.
When the series started, it was said that it was hard to see the West
Indies attack bowl out the strong Indian batting line-up twice in a
match. Well, they have not only done it in one Test, but in two.
By comparison, it was reckoned that the Indian bowlers had a better
chance of bowling out the West Indies. But they have done so only at
Port-of-Spain and in the bargain the home team have run up totals of
501, 394 and 629 for nine declared in the three other Tests.
The failure to defend a total of 513 for nine declared shows how limp
the bowling line-up is. The best hope then for Kingston would be to
hope that the batting comes good so that the match could at best be
drawn. This is not an impossible task for, notwithstanding the
horrendous run of Tendulkar that has brought him eight runs in his
last four innings, and the shocking double collapse at that jinxed
venue Bridgetown there is little doubt that the batting has risen to
the occasion.
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Jaffer's form at the top inspires confidence in whoever his partner
may be at Kingston while Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Venkatsai
Laxman have all played innings of high quality. The success of Ratra
means that India does have some depth in batting.
The pitch at Sabina Park will be not be as amiable as the wicket at
the Recreation Ground in Antigua and that is one aspect the Indian
batsmen will have to keep in mind as they approach the all important
game. After all, a drawn series in the Caribbean will not be a bad
result, even if the Indians were installed - quite illogically in my
view - as favourites in some circles as they arrived in the West
Indies.
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