Kumble should play in the rest of the Tests

Even though the hosts come to Barbados one down, I’m sure they are aware that they have a very good chance of levelling the series here. The conditions at Bridgetown will suit the West Indians better than Port-of-Spain or Georgetown, since the wicket will be harder and offer more pace and bounce.

If the West Indian fast bowlers bowl well, they will definitely get purchase from this wicket. Having said that, batsmen also will enjoy batting on this wicket as the ball will come onto the bat quite nicely. The West Indians must try and get back to level pegging as soon as possible, and Barbados will probably be their best chance to do that.

The Indians will be an upbeat lot with a fine victory at Trinidad. The memories of their last match in Barbados are, however, far from happy. Fortunately for them, not many players from that 80 all out Test are still in the team, so the scars from that game will plague only a few from this team.

However, I’m sure they have heard that this pitch is one of the fastest in the West Indies, and of the exploits of the West Indian fast bowlers over the years.

As far as the team selection of the visitors is concerned, the victory notwithstanding, I still do not agree with the strategy of dropping Anil Kumble. I would always play both Harbhajan and Kumble in the West Indies. I have heard the argument that Kumble has a very ordinary record away from home. But his overall record is extremely impressive and there is no arguing that he is a dangerous customer. Moreover, Harbhajan is a good bowler, but not a great one as yet. He does need the support of Kumble from the other end. In Trinidad, the Indians did pull off a great win, and this may prompt them to keep the winning combination unchanged. But, if you ask me, Kumble should play in the rest of the Tests.

As far as the West Indians are concerned, the inclusion of Ridley Jacobs in place of Junior Murray was an expected change after the way the latter batted in the first two Tests. The selectors in the West Indies have been chopping and changing the team so often that it looks like they are playing musical chairs. I no longer look for logic or reason behind any of the changes because it would be futile. For example, they picked Murray because he scored four centuries in the Busta Cup. After he scored one run in three innings, they decided to replace him with the man they dropped in the first place -- Jacobs. He had been dropped before the series because of lack of form, and has done nothing in the interim to suggest that he is in form. None of this makes any sense to me, and I’ve now reached the stage where I just ride with the tide.

One worrying issue that has emerged in this series has been the umpiring. It has been very, very ordinary. I have been counting since the start of the first Test and can cite 14 decisions that can at best be termed doubtful. Umpiring has never been a simple job, but some of the errors made here are so basic that anyone with a very rudimentary knowledge of the game can see them. Leg before decisions have been given when the ball has pitched well outside the leg stump and the decision at the end of the last Test concerning Chanderpaul can only be called ridiculous. I can understand the umpires in the middle, who make split-second decisions getting it wrong, but how on earth can the third umpire get a decision wrong after seeing so many replays and having so much time. Such a decision would suggest he should not be umpiring and should be doing something else instead.

Plenty has been said about the Indian captain over the last week, and I too must say that Ganguly’s captaincy in the series so far has not been brilliant. He is not very much in control on field at times and is often guilty of chasing the ball. He also tends to be reactive rather than proactive. A good captain must always be ahead of the game and be in as much control of the situation as is possible. He should also be calm and relaxed so that the rest of the players will also relax. Ganguly tends to be hyperactive, and is often seen having problems with his bowlers. He is gesticulating and arguing with them and this sends all sorts of wrong signals to the team and those who are watching.

Tactically, too, Ganguly has often been wanting, but then the same can be said of the West Indian captain, Carl Hooper, as well.

Earlier Columns:
- The toss will be vital - India start favourites

- Gameplan

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