***Official*** West Indies in India 2014

[cnerd123]

Yes they are, there's more to getting ready for a world cup than playing in the right conditions, firstly, the groundsmen might be instructed to prepare pitches more in line with Aus/NZ, and secondly the team combinations can be perfected in terms of getting guys in the right batting positions, getting the right guys bowling at the death and grooming guys on the fringe to come in and play a role if needed for example.

While I doubt the first is possible, I see what you are saying.
At the same time, how much can you read into performances in India as indication of how players will perform in Aus/NZ? What combinations and players click here will probably not click there.

 

[Daemon]

Daemon, that thread title. Have a look in the mirror, son.

Knowing someone will come along and fix it makes life so much easier :P

 

[Spark]

Don't be like that - ***** came in and started posting like an ass, all there is to it

As I said, I don't care who started it, so long as it finishes.

 

[Maximas]

While I doubt the first is possible, I see what you are saying.
At the same time, how much can you read into performances in India as indication of how players will perform in Aus/NZ? What combinations and players click here will probably not click there.

I feel like what you are saying was very relevant until a few months ago, it should have been over the last year or so that sending players off to bouncy pitches would have been ideal, but for now I firmly believe your best bet is to have the team playing together under the pressure of international cricket - because pressure is such a huge part of tournaments too, they won't get proper preparation for that unless they have a run in the national team IMO

 

[cnerd123]

I feel like what you are saying was very relevant until a few months ago, it should have been over the last year or so that sending players off to bouncy pitches would have been ideal, but for now I firmly believe your best bet is to have the team playing together under the pressure of international cricket - because pressure is such a huge part of tournaments too, they won't get proper preparation for that unless they have a run in the national team IMO

Fair enough.

India do have a pretty settled core group of players now tho. The squad that played in England had about 11-14 players likely to play in this coming WC. IMO, it's more critical they get practice in the right conditions and find a combination that works, rather than trying to get the team gelling together. But I see your point.

 

[hendrix]

There's 3 tests in this series. Should be interesting.

 

[Beamer]

The tests could be pretty competitive IMHO, even if we lose I really don't think it will be by a big margin. The ODI's however, might be something of a slaughter. India are so good in this format whereas we lose far more matches than a team with such obvious firepower should. We might win one game through a Pollard, Russell, Sammy or Bravo special but there might well be a few very large defeats. Injuries to Gayle and Simmons haven't helped matters either.

 

[hendrix]

I will be very interested to see who India pick as their spinners.

 

[Beamer]

I will be very interested to see who India pick as their spinners.

Me too. I suspect it won't be Ashwin until the chucking cloud dies down a bit.

 

[Bahnz]

Me too. I suspect it won't be Ashwin until the chucking cloud dies down a bit.

I'm not sure why you think that. I've always thought Ashwin's usual action (the one he bowls with when he's not doing impersonations) is about as clean as it gets.

 

[cnerd123]

Yea Ashwin's got a very nice classical action. Pretty certain he isn't that daft that he'll try the Narine action again anytime soon.

These Tests would be a good opportunity to get Ojha back in the frame.

 

[WindieWeathers]

I'm not sure why you think that. I've always thought Ashwin's usual action (the one he bowls with when he's not doing impersonations) is about as clean as it gets.

I believe questions should be asked about Ohja...as for Ashwin?!!..meh, we'll see how he bowls in this series coming up but it's interesting to see they've decided to "rest" him for the first three ODI's!!.

As for the series as a whole...we've won one odi in our last two series there..and tbh in a lot of the games they've come down right to the wire. In the tests we've got to aim to win one at least...our pacers are better than theirs imo but without Narine it will be tough.

 

[hendrix]

Your pacers are undoubtedly better than theirs but fitness is a concern.

Benn is better than Narine anyway so I don't think spin is that much of a weakness.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Your pacers are undoubtedly better than theirs but fitness is a concern.

Benn is better than Narine anyway so I don't think spin is that much of a weakness.

Not for me...i don't think he's the longterm answer tbh and if Narine comes through this current situation i'm 100% sure Benn will be stepping down. Longterm the kid who might be a gem is young left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein of Trinidad..really looked impressive in the champions league and gave Amla all sorts of problems with his flight and ability to make the ball go the other way.

 

[hendrix]

The major issue will be how the batting fairs. Edwards at 3 is a major weakness and we don't know how Gayle will go. Still, if India's spinners don't fire it could be a nice series for Bravo, Braithwaite and potentially Blackwood to fill their boots.

 

[Flem274*]

West Indies to win the series 2-1 but Stuart Binny to troll it up with a MoM performance.

India will just pick Ashwin and Jadeja imo. Both are monsters at home and infinitely better with the bat than Ojha. Pace bowling wise I would expect India to pick Bhuvi and Ishant as their pair based on form. If they do that bowling India out at home could be a mission with Bhuvi at ten.

I hope the West Indies pick three pace bowlers and one spinner. Feeding India two so-so spinners is suicide.

 

[WindieWeathers]

The major issue will be how the batting fairs. Edwards at 3 is a major weakness and we don't know how Gayle will go. Still, if India's spinners don't fire it could be a nice series for Bravo, Braithwaite and potentially Blackwood to fill their boots.

Edwards is not expected to play..Samuels is very likely to replace him as the selectors believe he could be getting back to form. If not him then Leon Johnson will play.

 

[Howsie]

There's 3 tests in this series. Should be interesting.

India will wipe the floor with them. Ashwin will have a field day.

 

[Dan]

Surely they won't play Ojha.

1. He isn't so much better a Test bowler than Jadeja (in Indian conditions) to outweigh Jadeja's increase batting and fielding output.
2. If he plays international cricket again, he'll probably be reported.

Which is a shame, really. Always liked Ojha.

 

[Woodster]

First one-dayer tomorrow and I must admit to looking forward to it, even if it seems the majority of the population in India isn't! The issue I see with the question of whether WI can be competitive or not is that there looks a lack of runs in the side, and I'm talking about big enough runs to chase down the kind of totals India may set them or the type they may need to put on the board themselves in order to make life difficult for the hosts. Yes of course Chris Gayle would make a big difference at the top, but he's not there and players are going to have to step up if WI are going to put India under pressure.

When I look at the WI batting line-up I see players capable of an enthralling cameo, the type that may earn them big bucks in T20 cricket, players such as Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, maybe even Dwayne Bravo sits in this bracket these days, but these type of innings will not win games in India. Despite Ramdin's ton in the tour game, I'm not sure he's good enough to be batting near the top four, so basically I'm thinking they need massive series with the bat from Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels, and I do hope they deliver.

I still have a lot of time for Pollard and keep wishing he comes good more consistently for WI. He has three ODI hunreds (one against India in India) and just seven fifties in 82 innings. Of those seven fifties, four have come against Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands. He's capable of so much more providing he bats like it's a 50-over game and not a T20.