India vs West Indies, 2nd Test Debate

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The 2nd test between India and the West Indies has got underway at Kolkata.
India is going in with the same side that won at Delhi. WI bring Roach in place of the unwell Ravi Rampaul. Adrian Barath comes in for Powell.
India won the toss and are batting.

they are looking much better in the second inning

this is real tough times for the west indian batting line up. They will need edwars to stay there, he has passed 50 now and needs to go on.

Prediction for fourth day - a Chanderpaul unbeaten 100 and an innings defeat for the Windies.

Again, India's day. Terrible capitulation from the West Indies in the first innings. Pragyan Ojha is doing the right things that this time he should really get a propper run without the customary musical chair being played.
R Ashwin bowled well in the first innings and got the most important wicket, that of Chanderpaul. Both of them haven't had it very easy in the 2nd innings, although they bowled reasonably well. Would be interesting to see how they both learn from today's mistakes, something Harbhajan Singh almost always failed to do.
Good to see the WI batters resisting in the 2nd innings. Darren Bravo, when he gets it right, does remain of the great man Sir Brian Chaarles!, it is just that he has to learn to do it for long, and do it consistently. He remains one of Umar Akmal at times, a casual shot, a mad rush of blood, can come from nowwhere at any point. His game against spin is nowhere is as compact as that of Lara, but he does seem a good prospect for the future , and comparisons with Lara, at least in tirms of some of the shots, and the overall style of batting is not entirely misplaced.
But if West Indies have to get India to bat a 2nd time, they need their talisman to deliver yet again. Chanderpaul has gone passed 2000 test run mark against India, and the WI would need him to add many more to that.

Another heartening thing for India was the fast bowlers' performance. Both Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav were superb. Yadav was terrific in the first innings. The ball that got Marlon Samuels was an absolute beauty. And of course the pace that he generates, is so contenting for the heart of an Indian cricket lover!!!.
Ishant Sharma showed again why he is rated so high by people despite his inconsistencies. He bowls at a good pace, can move the ball both ways of the seam and in the air, and in the sub-continent, he can get the ball to reverse. It is just that he at times struggles to get all parts of his game working, particularly if Zaheer Khan is not there to constantly guide him. But in the 2nd innings, Ishant performed the role of the senior bowler admirably, working out both the set batsmen.

Not really been watching this match, as I work late nights, so waking up at 3/3.30 isn't an option.

Of what I've seen in the highlights, Dravid and Laxman played superb innings. Laxman has 1000+ runs the Gardens at an average of 100+.

This guy Yadav looks a really top class prospect. He's fast and swings the ball. Looks like Ishant has upped his game as well, he's under threat from both Yadav and Aaron. And with the return of Khan in the near future, India finally seem to had a some decent depth in their pace department.

Ojha really seems to have developed. I remember him from a few seasons ago and he didn't look very threatening.

Nice to see Barath getting some runs, he's certainly a high class batsman. Would be nice if Darren Bravo could get a biggie as well.

Demon Racer wrote:

Ojha really seems to have developed. I remember him from a few seasons ago and he didn't look very threatening.

The Dodger was in excellent form for Surrey in the closing weeks of the English county season. Four wickets today and almost certainly more tomorrow as India take a 2-0 series lead ....

The problem with Ishant is his inconsistency. He was superb in the West Indies early this year, bowled some fabulous overs in England and a few decent spels, but then went off the boil for a long stretch to come back and ball well for some time then.
But in this series so far, he has been consistent, although he hasn't got so many wickets to show for all that.
Aaron's and Yadav's emergence would have been an additional bit of motivation.

Time out of the national side, and of course valuable time in Surrey have certainly helped Ojha. Now a days there is more intent in his bowling. He always had reasonable control. But now he has become more attacking as well.

Ojha IMO is now no1 spinner

extrmeley quick to 50 test wickets. Offers control and constant wicket taking threat.

Ashwin hasn't done too bad at all. If he keeps his performance level up with the ball, when India would go in with just the 1 spinner, I think he will get the nod, as his decent lower order batting offers something for an other wise long tail.

cricketfan90 wrote:Ojha IMO is now no1 spinner

extrmeley quick to 50 test wickets. Offers control and constant wicket taking threat.

Ashwin is the numero uno, he's already first choice in T20s and ODIs and now into the Test side.

windies probelm is they have no match winning bowlers whatsoever.

The West Indies more in the batting department. Other than Shiv Chanderpaul, there is no proven consistent performer in their lineup. A certain Chris Gayle is available to play, and he is not too shabby with the bat, but the idiots in control of cricket administration do not want him in the side.
Adrian Barath, Kraigge Brathwaite, and Darren Bravo are youngsters with potential. Kirk Edwards has done well in his short test career so far. Marlon Samuels had lots of potential when he came in more than a decade ago, and most of it is still unrealized.
The West Indies no longer act as the global factory of fast bowling, and they don't have a Dale Steyn in their ranks. But Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach and even their can't bat all-rounder captain are decent enough with the ball, and in young Devendra Bishoo, the West Indies have unearthed a fine attacking leggy.
Its more about the batting, not so much about the bowling.

Darren Bravo showing a fighting spirit with his 50. WI 227-3. A bravo-Chandepaul 200 stand desperately needed. You never know!!

Chanderpaul has a strained calf muscle, but no runner is allowed now, could be interesting to watch.

Is Dwayne Bravo injured and unavailable, or he is available for IPL only, or he hasn't been picked for lack of form?

Whatever happened to Jerry Taylor who bowled out England for 51 a couple of years ago?

Leff wrote:Is Dwayne Bravo injured and unavailable, or he is available for IPL only, or he hasn't been picked for lack of form?

Whatever happened to Jerry Taylor who bowled out England for 51 a couple of years ago?

Bravo is out with an injury and Jerome Taylor is in a spat with the WI board about playing without medical clearance.

taylor had alot of injury problems for awhile as well

WI will be kicking themselves after having such a terrible day yesterday as they have looked very comfortable so far today

That is the 100 partnership, batting on this track looks very easy now, maybe the 200 partnership (i was joking) may just be possible. But without it, game over. WI 264-3

tbh the best they can really hope for is avoiding an innings defeat

and as i type that chanderpaul is bowled so the chances of avoiding the innings defeat is probably gone

rich1uk wrote:tbh the best they can really hope for is avoiding an innings defeat

and as i type that chanderpaul is bowled so the chances of avoiding the innings defeat is probably gone

I think so now rich, a slow death from here. I just hope Bravo can get his 100.

Darren Bravo has played elegantly today. Mostly sweetly timed strokes.

Samuels has a higher batting avg in ODIs than in test cricket. He is sort of right-handed Yuvraj.

Well done Derren Bravo on your 2nd Test century. WI 297-4

solid century by bravo

samuels looking a little ropey tho and not much to come after him

WI first innings is definitely gonna cost them any chance of saving this game, no way is this a 153 all out pitch. they would have to bat til well after lunch tomorrow to have any chance of saving this and really cant see that happening

Bishop is comparing Derren Bravo with Lara, for his style and shots. They could do with a new big star.

It's past my usual bedtime. I thought WI would fold up around lunch. Will have to find out tomorrow morning about the result.

skyeman wrote: Bishop is comparing Derren Bravo with Lara, for his style and shots. They could do with a new big star.

hes been compared to lara ever since he broke through , long way to go before that comparison will be a fair one tho but agreed that WI need someone to build the team around now as chanderpaul wont be around forever

Partnership 55 from 64 balls, good entertainment 10 mins before lunch. It's like watching an ODI.

skyeman wrote:Partnership 55 from 64 balls, good entertainment 10 mins before lunch. It's like watching an ODI.

just shows how good this pitch is and how badly they batted yesterday tho

Lunch, WI 339-4 on a very slow track, with Ashwin and Ohja now looking ineffective.
Good session for WI.

rich1uk wrote:

skyeman wrote:Partnership 55 from 64 balls, good entertainment 10 mins before lunch. It's like watching an ODI.

just shows how good this pitch is and how badly they batted yesterday tho

Yes, they let themselves down yesterday, and more than likely my prediction of 1-0 to India for the series is down the swanny too.

Samuels getting a much needed 50 (for himself and the team). Partnership with Bravo worth 100 . WI 369 -4. 109 runs behind.

India has had this experience in the past. Remember Kamran Akmal and Abdur Razzaq batting Pakistan to safety from a very dificult situation after India took a huge first innings lead.

msp83 wrote:India has had this experience in the past. Remember Kamran Akmal and Abdur Razzaq batting Pakistan to safety from a very dificult situation after India took a huge first innings lead.

Still odds on for India to get the win, but in cases like this where the pitch has gone so slow for the spinners, maybe Aaron would have made a difference with his extra pace.

India have their task cut out now. The track has gone flat, and Pragyan Ojha after his comeback, and Ravichandran Ashwin after his test debut, have the most challenging period in their test career so far. How would they face up to this, should be very important for India as well as their own future. If they go the Harbhajan Singh way and start bowling flat and fast, then we have a problem.
But again, an Eden win is something you have to work really hardd for, the previous test India won with 9 balls remaining of the last day.

Yadav is running in hard and bowling at over 140 mark consistently. Think the pacers will have to take the lead in getting through the WI lineup now.
Dhoni should also give a decent spel to Yuvraj Singh, and a few exploratory overs from Sachin wouldn't be a bad idea afterall, he played a major part with the ball in India's most historic win in this ground!.

Any realistic chance the Windies had of saving this match, as just gone with Bravo's wicket. Good low catch by Dravid with his 208th Test catch. WI 403-5.

Baugh gone now, another very good catch from Dravid (no Eng lapses). WI 411-6 and looking down the barrel.

good for india that Yadav got wickets.

So India pocketed the series with an innings win. At one stage, when Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels were going strong there were hopes that the WI would be able to save themselves from an innings loss.
But ones Pragyan Ojha got Bravo edging to Dravid, the Indian bowlers took charge, and despite a few meaty slogs from Darren Sammy, West Indies fel 15 short of saving an innings defeat.
A fine collective boling performance from India, matching a collective showing from the batting unit.
Ishant Sharma bowled particularly well in the 2nd innings, finding conventional seam movement, pace and bounce with the new ball, and quality reverse swing with the older one. Didn't have many wickets, but Ishant was quite good.
Umesh Yadav is fast evolving. He bowled at over 140 KPH consistently, and has the right attitude for a fast bowler. He has been able to move the ball, something he didn't do much, when he first ccame into the ODI side in Zimbabwe. Getting to an Indian fast bowler smashing the stumps out is a real sight!.
Pragyan Ojha was superb in the first innings, and got the breakthrough when the Bravo-Samuels partnership was taking ominous proportions. Even on a rather unhelpful track on the 4th day he held his own.
R Ashwin's impact on the match wasn't as dramatic as it was in his debut match. But he got Chanderpaul in the first innings, and ones Ojha took out Bravo in the 2nd innings, Ashwin gave no space to the batsman. The best thing was unlike Harbhajan Singh, neither Ojha nor Ashwin went ultra-defensive after the first forceful shot was played by the batsman.
Zaheer Khan will soon be back, and Varun Aaron and Praveen Kumar are waiting in the wings. After Anil Kumble retired, the Indian spin bowling unit is looking in reasonable health for the first time as well.
Hopefully they all keep themselves fit and injury free and the batting unit continue the good work they did in this match.
In other news, Harbhajan Singh failed to pick up any of the 4 Saurashtra wickets that went down against Punjab in their Ranji match. Hardly surprising, is it?

top effort from windies to get to 460 odd, but they needed that in the first innings

guildfordbat wrote:

Demon Racer wrote:

Ojha really seems to have developed. I remember him from a few seasons ago and he didn't look very threatening.

The Dodger was in excellent form for Surrey in the closing weeks of the English county season. Four wickets today and almost certainly more tomorrow as India take a 2-0 series lead ....

Ok, I admit it was a pretty straightforward prediction.

A couple more wickets for the Dodger (ever noticed that bowlers are normally satisfied with two wickets but grumpy if they only get one?) who has now taken 13 in the two tests .... how many after three tests?

Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha have both taken 13 wickets each in the series so far.
A pretty impressive effort that, and they both should make it to the Australia squad if there is no injury. No who would be the first choice spinner ould be an interesting question, as India, in all likelyhood, would go in with 3 seamers and 6 batters. That would only one of them would make it to the 11 there, and based on his superior batting skills, it might just be Ashwin.
English supporters should know there is a man in that Indian dressing room, who has got very particular views on the ability of the number 8 to bat!!.

it was a fantastic effort to get 460 odd from windies, why couldnt they do that in the first innings!

msp83 wrote:Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha have both taken 13 wickets each in the series so far.
A pretty impressive effort that, and they both should make it to the Australia squad if there is no injury. No who would be the first choice spinner ould be an interesting question, as India, in all likelyhood, would go in with 3 seamers and 6 batters. That would only one of them would make it to the 11 there, and based on his superior batting skills, it might just be Ashwin.
English supporters should know there is a man in that Indian dressing room, who has got very particular views on the ability of the number 8 to bat!!.

Haha, Ashley Giles >>>> Ashwin + Ojha.

to be fair, India have throughly deserved their wins in both tests