West Indies selectors along with the West Indies Cricket Board implemented a strategy during the Pakistan series and the same is being used for the present India series of experimenting with players. It is fine to play a few players to allow them to show off their skills in order to facilitate them in one of the three categories of the game or may be all. Experimenting with many players during two major series that involves Pakistani and India seems to be wrong.
The West Indies have lost both One-Day International series to Pakistan and India, the Test series with Pakistan ended 1-1 and the Test series ith India is now under way.
Another Quick Bowler
Is Needed
Fidel Edwards is fit to play international cricket and to the surprise of many, he has not been chosen to play up to this day. Are the selectors waiting to play him in the Test series against India? Even if that is so, he should have at least be given the privilege of playing in one of the One-Day Internationals as a warm up. Playing Darren Sammy, Ravi Rampaul, Dwayne Bravo and Kemar Roach in the same Test match will make no sense.
Edwards, Rampaul and Roach should be the pacers for the Test matches. Two genuine quickies are needed for the Test series against India. Medium fast bowling would not cause any damage to India with the exception of Rampaul for he has the tactic to pick up wickets.
Unstable W.I. Middle
Order Batting
Apart from the front line batting that the West Indies batting carries, the lower order is weak and the opposition bowlers would find the lower order very easy to get out. Adrian Barath is back after a prolonged injury. He and Lendl Simmons are the likely openers for the Test matches. Ramneresh Sarwan, Darren Bravo and Brendan Nash should be coming into bat as mentioned.
Wicket keeper Carlton Baugh, Dwayne Bravo and Sammy are not in the batting for that is needed for the test matches. The bowlers Roach, Rampaul and Devendra Bishoo should not be looked upon as specialist batsmen, so the tail is very long.
Rahul Dravid, Vvx Laxman And Virat Kohli Boost India
The experienced Rahul Dravid, Vvx Laxman and Virat Kohli are the Indian batsmen that can torment West Indies bowlers in these three Test matches. West Indies captain Darren Sammy will be fully tested on his captaincy with the use of his bowlers, which would be of vital importance.
Short Spells
Devendra Bishoo must not be pressured into bowling long spells in a Test match. He is most valuable when he bowls short spells; he is very effective under those conditions. West Indies captain Darren Sammy should not make the mistake and allow the above mentioned batsmen to settle. Dravid and Laxman are double-century fanatics and they love long innings at the crease.
India would be without some of their top players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, Vireender Sehwag and Gautham Gambhir. West Indies right arm pacer Fidel Edwards must return to the squad.
