India will hots South Africa for a two-Test series November 14 onwards.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed his disappointment over the quality of the pitch which was provided for the second Test against the West Indies. Though India managed to win the match by seven wickets, and the series 2-0, Gambhir feels that the pitches need more carry and bounce for the fast bowlers to be in the game.
India posted a mammoth 518/5 (dec) in the first innings of the Test in Delhi. The West Indies, in reply, could only put up 248, and were asked to follow on. But out of the 33 wickets which fell in the Test, only seven were taken by pacers. And that is a huge issue.
It has been almost a year since India’s humiliating defeat against New Zealand at home. The tracks in that series were spin-friendly, which led to India’s downfall as the batters could not counter the spin bowling from the Kiwis. However, in a quest to make things right, the curators might be making flat pitches, which aren’t helping the speedsters of either side.
The Indian head coach spoke about the importance of having good pitches to play on, in order to keep Test cricket alive. He believes that good decks are one of the most important prerequisites towards preserving Test cricket. For a fast bowler, the nicks not carrying to the wicketkeeper or the slip cordon is a frustrating experience.
The 2011 World Cup winning player further stated that he was completely fine with the turn being less. But the basic requirement needs to get fulfilled, and that is carry. The fact that the wicket did not have enough bounce and carry led to the decision of enforcing the follow-on. Skipper Shubman Gill spoke about the same in the post-match interview.
“I thought that we could have had a better wicket here. We did get the result on day five, but again, I think nicks need to carry. I think there has to be something for the fast bowlers as well”, voiced Gambhir after the game.
India enforced the follow-on after bundling the West Indies out for 248 in the first innings, after bowling 81.5 overs. However, it took the hosts 118.5 overs to get rid of the visitors in the second innings. The Windies played well, with John Campbell and Shai Hope, both registering tons. However, the spinners had to roll their arms over a lot more.
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The West Indies cricket team is in a tough spot at the moment. After the conclusion of the first Test, skipper Roston Chase spoke about the infrastructure back home not being adequate for the players. To add to that, there are huge financial problems in the cricket board, which will have to be solved over a period of time.
A country’s success in the Test format originates from a strong domestic structure, and that is exactly where the West Indies are lacking. Gambhir expressed that they are an inexperienced side, but the way they fought in the second innings will certainly give them a lot of confidence.
“I have always believed that world cricket needs West Indian cricket”, said Gautam Gambhir on the importance and legacy of cricket in the West Indies.
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