India Vs West Indies: Cricket Series, 2006.
Would Team-India Prove They're Tigers Abroad too?
1.Introduction:
On the basis of Performance Record so far, they say, Indian Cricketers are Tigers At Home but Housecats / Lambs Abroad. As far as matches with Windies are concerned, Indian Cricketers are no Tigers either at home or abroad. Now, the just-finished 5-match ODI series against West Indies go to strengthen this view beyond any doubt.
II. Past Performance:
a) In the Cricketing History, Team India have won a series only once & that too as far back as 1971 against the West Indies in their home grounds -- that is 35 long, long years ago. Thanks to Ajit Wadekar, the Captain of the team & the ever-great Sunil Gavaskar as leading batsman & the spinsters Venkataraghavan, Bishen Singh Bedi & E.Prasanna bowling for India to a Series-Victory. Will that history repeat? Let's hope for it!
b) So far, here are the figures for Test Matches & Series between WI & India :
1) Matches Played in WI against India:
Total matches played since 1948 till date: 40.
Matches won by India : 7 matches
Matches won by WI: 14 matches.
Matches Drawn: 19
Of the 9 series played, WI won 6 series, India just 2 & 1 resulted in a tie.
2) Matches Played In India against WI:
Total matches played : 38.
Matches won by India: 3
Matches won By WI: 16
Matches drawn: 19
Of 9 Series played WI won 7, India 2 & tie 1.
Out of the 78 Test matches played so far since 1948, WI has won 30, India, 10, & 38 matches are drawn
III. Latest Performance in ODI matches:
a) Notwithstanding the past performance, the recent performance of India against Windies will matter most in guessing what can be Team India's prospects / chances in the coming 4 Test Match Series against the Windies with more or less, the same teams.
b) India played 5 ODIs against Windies in May,-2006. The matches were very close & tough & had thrilling finishes. Here are the results:
1. May 18, 2006, Ist ODI, Jamaica: India won by 5 wickets with one ball to spare. (Highlights)Dravid scored 105 & Gayle, 123.
May 20, 2006, 2nd ODI, Jamaica: WI won with 1 ball to spare
May 23, 2006, 3rd ODI, St.Kitts : WI won by 4 wickets (thrilling finish): ( Highlights: Sarwan emerging powerful with 115 runs (10 fours & 2 sixes), 5th wicket stand between Chandrapaul & Sarwan & Sehwag scoring 96 ( better than run-a-ball rate)
May 26, 2003, 4th ODI, Trinidad : WI won by 6 wickets (Lara's 69, Gayles 41, BRAVO emerging powerful with 61 out of 62 balls . India: 217 for 7 in 50 0vers; WI 218 in 44 overs. Highlights: M.S. Dhoni (not out) 48 out of 58 balls, Kaif : 62, Yuvraj:52
May 28, 2006, 5th ODI, Trinidad: Won by 19 runs.
India scored 236 runs for 10 wickets in reply to West Indies' score of 255 for 6. (Highlights: Sewag scored 95 out of 103 balls; Bravo (not Out) scored 62 out of 44 balls & Sarwan scored 52 out of 97 balls.
In ODIs: Of the 20 ODI's played , WI has won 15 matches & India, just 5. In 2001-02, India with Ganguli as captain won over WI team with Carl Cooper as Captain by 2/1 margin.
IV: The Effect Of Team India's Poor Performance:
Team India has got a severe beating at Laura's West Indies 11. As a Result,in the ICC Batting Rank, Rahul Dravid has slid down to 12 from Top 10. Sehwag has moved up by merit to the 18th place & Yuvraj has a hold on his 10th place.Once Top 1 Dhoni sild to the 4th position. Sarwan with his 273 runs out of 5 ODIs springs to the 2nd place.
In the Bowling List, Irfan Pathan slid to the 7th place from 2nd. Ian Bradshaw moved u to Top 10.
V. what had gone Wrong With The Team India?
Top most is the Bowling Fiasco. Pathan not in form & was low in confidence. His faltering line & length proved ineffective.
Some of the other reasons are like
too much experiments changing players, changing the batting-order, no fixed partner to open the innings with Sehwag, middle order batting collapse,fielding lapses, players who are totally new to playing conditions in WI such as slow pitches, low bounce.
VI. Changed Conditions: Latest Developments:
a) In the Indian Team: Batting has been reinforced by including Jaffer & VVS Laxman. Now Jaffer may be the opening partner to Sehwag. The bowling will get an edge with the inclusion of Anil Kumble: the ACE Legbreak Googly spinner, Harbhajan with his offbreaks & Sreesanth with his medium pace.
Everything said & done, test Cricket is a different ball game. Team India has all the top order Time-tested Cricketing Potentials & will be able to pull surprises as it had done with England & other teams in the recent times.
b) In The WI Team: As for West Indies, the team now is in all-time high morale ! It has proved that nothing succeeds like success. Sarwan, a sound technician, has emerged as a great consistent player with as high a score as 273 in 5 ODIs. Bravo has come up with his batting brilliance. Bowlers are wicket-takers & quite effective.
VII. The Future Test Matches :
Schedule
June 2-6 1st Test, Antigua
June 10-14 2nd Test, St. Lucia
June 16-18 vs WICB Board XI, Nevis
June 22-26 3rd Test, St Kitts
June 30-July 4 4th Test, Jamaica.
Now the 4 Test Match Series with Windies are on the card to start today (Friday). Some questions crop up in all cricket-lovers' minds.
Would Team-India rise up to the Expectation and 'Beard the West Indies Lion in His own Den?
Would Team India Bounce Back As Tigers Or Remain Tame as House Cats / Lambs?
Will India strike back? Bounce back in the Test series? Will India start a winning spree?
Considering the ground realities & performance record, we must admit that the ODDS are heavily against Team India. If India wins this series of Test Matches, it would be nothing short of a miracle. Cricket is an unpredictable game & sometimes, Miracles do happen.
VIII. Conclusion:
Friends:
Like all fellow-Indians & all cricket lovers all over the globe, I've a gut feeling that India will pull a surprise, that it is capable of, in these Test series against WI.
Let's Hope For That Miracle to Happen!
What do you say?
