India should employ a double-edged spin attack at Antigua

Tongues were wagging long before this 2002 Cable and Wireless Test series started here in the Caribbean on many topics. Some were directly cricketing issues, as to team selections and the Windies bowling attack's capabilities, but one very hot issue to some was the venue for the first two Tests in the series. Many thought it self-defeating for the WICB to have the first two Tests in Guyana and Trinidad. Firstly, because of the immense support for the visiting team in both countries from the large Asian communities, and secondly, because of the slow, easy-paced nature of the pitches which suits the Indian players.

The arguments intensified after the result in Trinidad, where India went one up in the series. But if the truth be told, the Windies had only themselves to blame for the loss.

The score card now reads one Test-all, after a very convincing win by the Windies in Barbados. The dissenting voices have faded somewhat, but is this pitch in Antigua going to favour the West Indies fast bowlers? Evidence from recent games suggest no, but on the odd occasion there has been enough pace on evidence to encourage the quicker men.

India have elected to play one spinner in the last two Tests. Anil Kumble and Sarandeep Singh played in the first Test, when Harbhajan was injured. But then on his return to fitness, he replaced Sarandeep in the last two. However, after the first Test, Anil Kumble has been left to sit idly by, twiddling his thumbs, except for the three-day game against what could be termed a regional second XI, between the second and third Tests. He wasn’t very successful in that game, but I would suggest that India employ a double-edged spin attack for the Antigua Test.

Throughout this series, we have seen the middle order of both teams supplying the large majority of the runs. It may be true that the better players are just that, middle order batsmen, but an argument can be put forward that the seamers have only been able to do serious damage with the new ball. As soon as about 30 overs or so have been bowled, the ball loses it’s seam and hence batting gets immensely easier on pitches that don’t offer much encouragement as far as pace and bounce is concerned.

It is at this stage of the game when the early breakthrough has been effected, that the fielding team needs to maintain the pressure on the opposition batsmen. Pressure is built by good, controlled bowling but one trick, in my opinion, that India have missed in this series is also applying pressure by the amount of these controlled deliveries that the batsmen face. The over rates could be termed pedestrian at best and hence a bit easier on the concentration levels of the batsmen.

Harbhajan and Kumble in the team together would certainly address this aspect of the game, and the added consideration of the condition of the pitch weighs heavily in favour of the tactic. The Windies don’t have that option as a consideration simply because they haven’t got two spinners of the calibre of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble.

Earlier Columns:
- Kumble should play in the rest of the Tests
- The toss will be vital
- India start favourites

- Gameplan

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