With Cricket greats Sachin Tendulkar (IND) and Shivnarine “Shiv” Chanderpaul (WI) playing in 200 and 150 test matches respectively, this series had a lot of hype, especially since this may be Tendulkar’s farewell series. However, only one team came to play… India.
The first of the two Test matches ended with India carving out an easy innings and 51 runs. I kid you not. West Indies scored 234 and 168 vs India’s 453. In this match, India was reeling at 83-5 and 156-6 but a ridiculous 7th wicket partnership of 280 between Rohit Sharma and Ravinchandran Ashwin did the visitors in.
We expected a lot more from the West Indian batsmen and bowlers in the second and final Test but things started poorly again for the West Indies and continued through day 2. After only 2 days, the scores are West Indies 182 all out and 43-3 vs India’s 495. The final Indian pair put on 80 runs. The only hope the West Indies have to prevent another embarrassing Innings defeat are Gayle (unbeaten on 6), Samuels, and Chanderpaul. The tail is non-existent and, as Charles Barkley would say, “TUR-BLE”. It means, one of these gentlemen have to score a century and the other two have to stay at the crease. But, we have not seen much so it’s just a prayer and hope at this point.
Should we have seen this coming when West Indies played the non-Test tour match against Uttar Pradesh? In that match, the scores were West Indies 466 all out and 199-5 vs Uttar Pratesh’s 372 all out.
What’s your take on the state of West Indies cricket, not necessarily this Indian tour?
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