***Official*** India in West Indies

[oz_fan]

Great performance by the WI in both the match and the series. During the series all of their cricketers have contributed. Perhaps this is the beginning of the revival of WI cricket. They play well at home and could be the dark horses at next year's World Cup.

 

[Jono]

Wholehearted congratulations to the WI on a terrific series win. I didn't see it coming and I'm sure many others didn't either with the form India were in in ODIs, but the WI have just been absolutely amazing. I've learnt a lot from them, and let's hope that they don't pull a Champions Trophy 2004 and go on with it and continue this form. Even if they're not winning games all the time (they have the talent to though!) as long as they are competitive like they should be, it'll be great for WI cricket, and cricket as a whole. Bravo and Sarwan were the stand outs, but Edwards continues to show he has what it takes IMO, and Gayle is as dangerous as ever opening the innings. Their fielding was crucial to their victory as well, and if that continues to improve that's even more good signs for the WI.

In regards to India, well very disappointing. The only positive I can see really is that I'm glad this has happened now and not at the World Cup next year. It was a wake up call. India have dominated SL, Pak and Eng but I think WI definitely challenged them the most because India never got an easy game. Even their win in the first ODI was tough. I don't think it has TOO much to do with India playing away from the sub-continent, because the wickets weren't that much different. I just think WI have played a lot better than SL, Pak and Ind have done in recent times. But India gotta have a look at their batting. You can say what you like about Sachin's fall from grace in the test arena, but he's still very very intimidating when he walks out there to open in ODIs and he was missed, however the way everyone else batted against the good tight bowling, its likely India would have lost anyway. Its all fine and dandy when the opposition are bowling pies at you and you're spanking 300+, but when you have two tight spinners darting the ball in, you've gotta pick the gaps and milk them. I was happy with Yuvraj this tour though, to me he's shown that he just hasn't had a flukey 6 month form patch or anything, he's our best ODI batsman along with Dravid. Dhoni has been disappointing but WI have bowled well to him too. He did well this game, gave India a chance to bowl at something at least.

The test series looks mouth watering though, and India really have to win that to make this a successful tour. I really hope they do because I'll take a loss in a ODI series for an away from the sub-continent test series win any day of the week.

 

[Blaze]

Go the Windies!!!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

First off, Dwayne Bravo = superstar. I love the way that Lara gave him the responsibility of seeing the game through today and he paid it off in full. Bravo is truly the symbol of hope for West Indies cricket.

I'd be very surprised if the West Indies lose the Test series at this stage. Even in New Zealand there were improvements and it seems to have been solidified under Lara. It'll be extremely hard to beat India in a 4-Test set, but I'd be very disappointed if they lost it.

Edwards continues to impress, and given the increased liberty of bowling in a Test match scenario, I can see him doing some damage. It'd also be interesting to see whether they bring Collins back in for the Tests. I still think he's one of our best bowlers, and it's really great that the current bowlers are making it so hard for him to get back into the team at this stage.

I'm starting to think the selectors will tend toward Gayle as the lone spin option though...

 

[silentstriker]

India are an absolute disaster outside the subcontinent. Worryingly enough, even the subcontinent is losing its mystique (1-1 against ENG for example), and these will be dangerous times ahead.

Outside the subcontinent, India do not deserve test status (similar boat to SL).

 

[Jono]

Ugh.

What do these ODIs have to do with India in tests anyway?

 

[adharcric]

Nothing. I won't blame this on the foreign conditions. It was just a combination of good Windies bowling and a pathetic all-round display by the Indians.
The test series was already huge, but now it means everything.

 

[alternative]

Very dissapointed with INDIA's performance, totally unexpected.. hope they take alot out of this before the World Cup next year... Congratulations to West Indies, Bravo continues to impress everyone.. He is clearly the future of WestIndies Cricket..

On the bowling side of things, was impressed with Agarkar yet again, while Sreesanth and Pathan have not lived up to expectations.. With WI, the have teriffic new ball openers in Bradshaw and Edwards, was very very good..

 

[Nate]

Cricket just seems more cooler with Windies doing well.

So true. Very quote-worthy.

Bravo, Lara, Sarwan, Gayle, Chanders, Bradshaw... all legends. But the man I`ve been most impressed with is Edwards. Such discipline at great pace. Could yet be great alongside Taylor for the Windies.

 

[Laurrz]

tut tut .. btw does anyone know what the WI pitches are like?

these ODI's shouldn't affect India in the tests (two completely diff games)...but gee they r under the pump...their away record is terrible...

 

[Matt79]

Geez Sarwan's done well in a couple of the games - I'm slowly beginning to understand why he continues to get a spot in the team.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Geez Sarwan's done well in a couple of the games - I'm slowly beginning to understand why he continues to get a spot in the team.

Umm... Ramnaresh Sarwan is one of the best ODI batsmen in the world. I dare say he would get into the following ODI teams:

England
India
New Zealand
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
South Africa
Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and Kenya

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Ugh.

What do these ODIs have to do with India in tests anyway?

A whole lot!

India is widely acknowledged as a better ODI team away from home than a Test team. Now they've lost at their forte against the 8th ranked team in the world. The loss of confidence is coupled with the clear confusion as to exactly what India wants to be as a team right now. They don't see to have any real gameplan out there.

West Indies hasn't won anything significant since the Champion's Trophy in 2004. Now they've beat the number three team in the world and enter the Test series with a world of confidence. In the process of winning the series, the West Indian fielding has improved dramatically, the bowlers are now in form, and batsmen such as Sarwan, Gayle (and now Bravo) have runs under their belts.

Tests and ODIs may be completely different games, but a series loss is a series loss, and the result of this particular series definitely affects the balance of confidence.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

On the bowling side of things, was impressed with Agarkar yet again, while Sreesanth and Pathan have not lived up to expectations.

Pathan has been awful, but Sreesanth has bowled really well. I've been very impressed with him so far, and this is after me asking a couple months ago why he's even in the Indian team. He gives it a big effort and deserved a couple of wickets yesterday.

 

[silentstriker]

A whole lot!

India is widely acknowledged as a better ODI team away from home than a Test team. Now they've lost at their forte against the 8th ranked team in the world. The loss of confidence is coupled with the clear confusion as to exactly what India wants to be as a team right now. They don't see to have any real gameplan out there.

West Indies hasn't won anything significant since the Champion's Trophy in 2004. Now they've beat the number three team in the world and enter the Test series with a world of confidence. In the process of winning the series, the West Indian fielding has improved dramatically, the bowlers are now in form, and batsmen such as Sarwan, Gayle (and now Bravo) have runs under their belts.

Tests and ODIs may be completely different games, but a series loss is a series loss, and the result of this particular series definitely affects the balance of confidence.

Exactly. If India lose this test series, I will forever put all of them down as chokers and losers. THat's it. Their record has to improve NOW. They won't get a better opportunity to notch a series victory anytime else.

 

[Jono]

A whole lot!

India is widely acknowledged as a better ODI team away from home than a Test team. Now they've lost at their forte against the 8th ranked team in the world. The loss of confidence is coupled with the clear confusion as to exactly what India wants to be as a team right now. They don't see to have any real gameplan out there.

West Indies hasn't won anything significant since the Champion's Trophy in 2004. Now they've beat the number three team in the world and enter the Test series with a world of confidence. In the process of winning the series, the West Indian fielding has improved dramatically, the bowlers are now in form, and batsmen such as Sarwan, Gayle (and now Bravo) have runs under their belts.

Tests and ODIs may be completely different games, but a series loss is a series loss, and the result of this particular series definitely affects the balance of confidence.

I meant in terms of India sucking away from home in test matches.

I didn't say it had nothing to do with WI gaining confidence for the test series.

So whilst everything you said was true, its fairly irrelevant to what I was trying to point out to Silent Striker.

Then again he's known to be one of the kings of hyperbole on this forum.

 

[silentstriker]

I meant in terms of India sucking away from home in test matches.

I didn't say it had nothing to do with WI gaining confidence for the test series.

So whilst everything you said was true, its fairly irrelevant to what I was trying to point out to Silent Striker.

Then again he's known to be one of the kings of hyperbole on this forum.

Regardless of what form of cricket we play, we tend to suck pretty badly outside the subcontient. They are going to lose this test series. If they struggle this badly against such a bad WI team, there is no way they can beat them in a test match. They MIGHT win one, but I doubt even that. 2-0 West Indies in the tests.

 

[Jono]

What I'm trying to point out was that India didn't lose this test match because it was outside the sub-continent. They lost because the opposition outplayed them. India played pretty well in the first 2 1/2 ODIs. Won the first in a tight game, lost the second and third in a tight game and was just outclassed in the fourth. I don't think the fact that the series happened to not be on sub-cont. pitches had much to do with it at all.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Exactly. If India lose this test series, I will forever put all of them down as chokers and losers. THat's it. Their record has to improve NOW. They won't get a better opportunity to notch a series victory anytime else.

Whoa. I don't see what being outplayed has to do with choking. India have been outplayed in this series. They haven't choked.

As far as I'm concerned you can choke in a period of play, but not over the course of a series (unless you're South Africa playing Australia).

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Regardless of what form of cricket we play, we tend to suck pretty badly outside the subcontient. They are going to lose this test series. If they struggle this badly against such a bad WI team, there is no way they can beat them in a test match. They MIGHT win one, but I doubt even that. 2-0 West Indies in the tests.

A bad West Indies team? Have you watched the series?

India haven't lost the series because they played poorly as much as the West Indies have played superbly. Credit where it's due?