Going into the second Test alongside the West Indies, Team India stand at the brink of doing what none of its predecessor have managed to achieve: winning both the ODI and Test series in the Caribbean. And with India's second most winning captain at the helm, the No. 1 Test team looks all set to complete the feat.
The second Test of the three-match series gets happening at the Kensington Oval on Tuesday, where the visitors can be curved in out perfume balls on a lively track. But it can also work in favour of Indian pacers who bowled India to victory in the first Test.
Both
Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar were in their essentials at the Sabina Park who outclass their much knowledgeable spin department led by Harbhajan Singh, who may achieve the landmark of 400 Test wickets, needing just four to reach the magical figure.
A bouncy track may, in fact, pose even serious questions to a disheartened Windies' batting lineup that succumb to the discipline of India's inexperienced fast-bowling pair in the first Test.
Adrian Barath, who scored a quick half century in the second innings at Jamaica, showed some sign of form but was undeveloped to gift his wicket away at a crucial juncture.
In the absence of Chris Gayle, who continues to be ignored by the selectors, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan will have to shoulder the liability and come out of their dismal showing at the Sabina Park.
Brendan Nash has also lost favour of the selectors and has been replaced by Kirk Edwards. But hometown boy Edwards is unlikely to make his first appearance in the presence of Marlon Samuels, who - after being overlooked for the first Test - is most likely to replace Nash in the middle order.
But the West Indies bowlers must be attributed for their presentation in the first Test, with leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo scalping seven wickets in the able support of Fidel Edwards and Darren Sammy. However, it must be added that India were hard done by some shoddy umpiring, the standards of which need to rise significantly in the second Test.
Barring the first day in Jamaica, where
Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina rescue the visitors from a precarious 85/6, India prohibited the game to win with a day to spare. Other than Raina and Rahul 'The Wall' Dravid, India needs to look at the configuration of the batting order.
Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay and debutant Abhinav Mukund failed to make use of the opportunity. While Kohli and Vijay are certain to keep their place, skipper MS Dhoni may ponder replacing Mukund with Parthiv Patel, who had a comparatively successful ODI series at top of the order.
In light of the hosts present a fast Kensington Oval track, Dhoni has hinted at bring in Munaf Patel in place of Amit Mishra, who was at best standard in the first Test. That means India may go in with a 3-1 mixture in favour of pacers, with Ishant and Praveen being the other two and Harbhajan Singh the lone spinner in the eleven.
But while Dhoni and Co. will be eying a double victory, they will be up next to a 58-year winless record at the Kensington Oval.
Since 1971, when they drew against the hosts, India has lost five succeeding Tests at the venue. In fact, they haven't been able to upstage the hosts ever in the seven Tests they have played here so far. This might just be the best possibility to set that record straight.
Gaji
