Apart from the West Indies cricket team being deprived of the best team on the field, their performances in the one-day games in India have been of a low standard.
India has almost a third-class team looking at the first and second one-day games. Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Vvs Laxman and Rahul Dravid did not participate. The West Indies should have demonstrated much more high class cricket though the team is very young and a bit inexperienced.
It would have been wise if the selectors had allowed Shivnarine Chanderpaul to play in these one-day games. His experience means a lot and his contribution would have been critical.
West Indies batting has shown some improvement but consistency is vital if the West Indies team wants to defeat any top team in the rankings. Top teams are performing with bat and ball along with splendid fielding. West Indies dropped too many catches during the Test series with India and the Windies bowling fell short of Test standards. Long ups and too many short balls cannot do the job of defeating tough opponents such as India.
Specialist Bowlers Must Deliver As Expected
It is well known that the opposition is aware of their conditions at home and full advantage of that would be taken. West Indies bowlers must be able to compete and gain the same success like the opposition.
India has young, aggressive and intelligent cricketers who have been performing well in Tests and in the one-day internationals.
Ravi Chanadran Ashwin and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha were the principal destroyers of the West Indies in the Test series, which India won 2-0. Batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are now dominating the one-day internationals. Fast bowler Umesh Yadav has been very good in the O.D.I.’s knowing fully well which line to bowl.
It is rather unfortunate that Ravi Rampaul, Fidel Edwards and Kemar Roach cannot be on the team going against the opposition. Consistency counts and that is what carries the pressure on the opposition. Ashwin and Ojha did it for team India along with some excellent batting from Rahul Dravi, Sachin Tendulkar and Vvs Laxman.
Windies Middle Order Still Questionable
West Indies middle order batting must step up and perform much more to get winning totals for the team. The middle order has great responsibilities and batsmen coming down in such order must produce runs in Tests and one-day internationals. The role of the middle order batsmen must be understood and their performances must be enhanced.
