India vs West Indies: Windies need to invest more on players' mental strength, groom best available talent for future challenges

Given their good showing in home Tests over the past few seasons and especially their recent victory over England in the Caribbean, the West Indies would have had hopes of at least putting up a strong fight against the visiting Indians. What they found, however, was that India was a different matter altogether, a challenge considerably more daunting than any they have faced in recent years. Though they got runs from Jason Holder, Shane Dowrich, John Campbell and a few others, England were mostly overwhelmed by a fiery West Indies’ pace attack on juicy surfaces. Holder, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph formed a formidable four-pronged unit that undermined England’s shaky batting. India, at the top of the ICC Test rankings, were expected to be tougher but hardly anyone in the Caribbean expected the home team to be so completely overrun. We all know India currently have fast bowling riches beyond the dreams of former players like Sunil Gavaskar, Bishen Singh Bedi and even current coach Ravi Shastri. Sides they were a part of were usually the victims of the kind of pace-bowling assault their team now perpetrates on others. And what better opponents to repay in kind than the West Indies, the ones who battered and bloodied them for years, on occasion at the same Sabina Park where India claimed their series win. [caption id=“attachment_7277391” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] West Indies lost the Test series against India 2-0. AFP)[/caption] The West Indies batsmen, a few of them Test-match novices, could simply not provide any suitable answer to India’s pace attack and especially to the phenomenon that is Jasprit Bumrah. With all the best tools of the fast bowling trade – high pace, accuracy, each-way movement and bounce – along with a quirky run-up and action that likely adds to the degree of difficulty in facing him, there is not, at this time, a more potent pacer in the game. He, ably supported by Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma, were too much for the West Indies’ line-up, and would’ve been too much for many other line-ups as well. His hat-trick in Jamaica and his bowling during the series, will be remembered for a long time. Still, the hosts’ batsmen were beset by difficulties and didn’t always give themselves the best chance of coping. Kraigg Brathwaite, for example, a patient fighter normally willing to etch out an innings by sweat and restraint, suffered from bad form throughout and was but a shadow of his usual adhesive self. His opening partner, John Campbell, contributed little as well, though his problem was questionable technique and poor decision-making. Opening batsmen ought not to wantonly throw their bats at deliveries outside off-stump the way he often does. A few will connect, resulting in spectacular hits to the boundary. Bowlers will often smile at that kind of recklessness, however, knowing an edge to keeper or slips, might not be far away. Shimron Hetmyer is another batsman who needs to look himself in the mirror. Obviously a talented ball striker who has already played a few promising innings, he desperately needs to exhibit more prudence in his strokeplay. So rash has he appeared of late, that the selectors should probably consider giving him a break, readmitting him only after he adopts a more judicious approach. Many expected Darren Bravo the West indies’ best batsman prior to his unfortunate two-year break from the game to do well. Since his return, however, he has looked nothing like the player he was. Ironically, he was the most fluent he’d been in a while at Sabina Park, where he suffered a concussion after being struck on the helmet by Bumrah. He will need to work at returning to his best before the selectors are forced to look elsewhere, as they are probably already doing. The other batsmen, including the composed Shamarh Brooks, who made his debut in Antigua and made 50 before being run out in Jamaica, showed some hints of ability. They’d likely have performed better against a less fearsome attack. The visitors were simply armed with too much firepower. The West Indies selectors need to share some blame for the team’s showing, especially in the first Test. With the bowling unit that defeated England facing unavoidable disruption due to Alzarri Joseph’s injury, they unwisely opted for Miguel Cummins. The Barbadian seamer was disappointing the last time he donned the maroon cap and, as far as I can tell, showed no signs of having improved. Unsurprisingly, he was again disappointing in Antigua and was left out for the Jamaica game in favour of the deserving Rahkeem Corwall, but his inclusion rendered the bowling attack less potent than it could have been. It is also generally agreed that captain Jason Holder had a poor game, tactically, in Antigua. He’s probably not the most astute strategist, but some of his bowling choices and field settings were questionable. Why, for instance, on the fourth morning, with India resuming at 185/3 and Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in occupation, did he choose to start with Cummins and Chase? The new ball was due in eight overs but the situation cried out for strike bowlers Roach and Gabriel, or even for Holder himself, in order to make early inroads and getting his side back on track. Chase did manage to get Kohli’s wicket, which should have prompted the captain to increase the pressure on the batsman by bringing back his chief weapons. They were brought on when the new ball became due. By that time, however, Rahane and the new batsman, Hanuma Vihari, were afforded the opportunity to play themselves in. It was not all doom and gloom for the West Indies, however. Rahkeem Cornwall, on debut in Jamaica, showed enough bowling chops to suggest he could be a useful spinner in the future. He took only three wickets in the game but bowled 64 steady overs and provided some threat against batsmen considered amongst the best against the turning ball. As it has been in recent times, it was the West Indies’ bowling that was its strongest suite. Roach and Holder were impressive, especially in Jamaica where Holder grabbed 5/77 in the first innings. As Kohli said during at the post-match ceremony, they constantly troubled the Indian batsmen, forcing steadfastness upon batsmen who are frequently fluent. Less capable and less inclined, the West Indies’ batsmen were not able to show the same level of resolve on wickets which were less than straightforward for batting. Still, it has to be said, that most of them would not have experienced anything like Bumrah, who blew them away in both games. They will probably go on to face good bowlers with as much speed as the Indian pacer. But there is probably no other bowler currently playing with his amalgam of skills. On the whole, the West indies would not have been proud of their performance in the two Tests. This is just the beginning of the World Test Championships but Jason Holder and his men will need to improve if they are to be anywhere near the top of the pile when it runs its course. The problem, in the words of their captain after the Jamaica game is that “we are not really spoiled for choices in terms of batsmen coming through.” Apart from a few others like Brandon King, Sunil Ambris and Nicholas Pooran, those involved in the Tests against India are the best available. There are no hidden talents waiting to be discovered, and so the team will only get better through purposeful practice and mental development. Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan was brought in to help with the squad shortly before the series began. That’s a good start but there is much more that needs to be done.