The new opening pair of Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds were quite impressive. I will not rate them very highly yet, as this is a very good batting strip and the batsmen are expected to make runs. But it was good to see a West Indian opening pair put on more than fifty runs. Gayle and Hinds have an excellent understanding, and they ran well between wickets. It is important that they carry on this form into the Jamaica Test. Hinds did a pretty good job today. The opening slot is the only position for him in this line-up. I don't see him fitting into the middle order, with the likes of Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Carl Hooper around. These three batsmen are playing well in their positions, and form a very strong middle order. The only option for Hinds is to keep scoring runs at the top of the order and cement his position as an opener.

Brian Lara failed to make an impression on his favourite West Indian ground. I don't believe Lara was particularly worried by the fact that a bandaged Anil Kumble came on the field to bowl to him. I don't think that it was in Lara's mind at all. It just wasn't his day, and he was out early.

Carl Hooper had a bit of luck against Kumble, being caught off a no ball, and dropped at slip. Whenever he has had a bit of good fortune in this series, he has gone on and made a big score. Hooper is in tremendous form, and I see no reason why he should not carry on and get another big one tomorrow. Ramnaresh Sarwan played another steady knock, and he is still on the lookout for that illusive century. Sarwan has had a few opportunities to get a century in this series, and I hope that he will make it this time. He has definitely got the talent and the ability, and it is now only a matter of time before he reaches the three-figure mark.

West Indies went in with an all seam attack, probably because they didn't want to change a winning combination. Considering the nature of this wicket, it would have been better had they gone in with a spinner.

If Kumble is unable to bowl tomorrow, the Indian attack will be greatly weakened, and the West Indian batsman will not have too many problems against the seamers. Neither side is in a position to force a result in this game, and West Indies will certainly be playing for a draw. Hooper will be happy with that, leading into the decider at Jamaica.

Michael Holding, a key member of the West Indies pace quartet of the 1970s and '80s, will be contributing the Wisden Verdict for all the Tests in this series. He was talking to Dhruv Mullick.

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