However, I feel - and as I have asserted through this match - that Harbhajan Singh was sorely missed.
He should have played this match for two very simple reasons. Firstly, Bhajji could have come real handy considering the hereditary weakness of the Windies to succumb under pressure. It has been West Indies' weak point since the days of Clive Llyod.
Secondly, during the second half of the Test, a spinner or an off-spinner could have restricted Windies easily as they tend to get nervous under pressure. A batsman playing a wrong shot could have given India an early advantage.
However, in the hindsight, I feel it was a great match and has certainly given India a moral victory.
Kudos to Wasim Jaffer for scoring a memorable double ton. It was one of the coolest innings I have seen in the recent times. Jaffer played a mature innings like a seasoned player and did not show nerves. His innings put the pressure back on the West Indian bowlers, who found it difficult turning the ball to their advantage.
The Windies went into an overtly defensive mode from the very beginning and made their nervousness public. Even while they batted, the nervousness showed through and they lost early wickets, giving Indian bowlers and early advantage.
Even an accomplished batsman like Chris Gayle came under psychological pressure after Ram Naresh Sarwan lost his wicket.
Sarwan's dismissal reflected how Windies faced the same problem in the second innings as India faced in the first.
However, while India overcame all their weaknesses of the first innings in the second, Windies succumbed.
India surely is equipped with a psychological advantage for the second Test and the pressure will clearly be on West Indies.
(Krish Srikkanth is a former skipper of Indian cricket team. He maintains a regular blog on IBNLive. His website is www.krishcricket.com) About the AuthorKrishnamachari Srikkanth Krishnamachari Srikkanth was one of the most destructive batsmen who could decimate the strongest and most fearsome attacks in the world by his vast r...Read Morefirst published:June 07, 2006, 12:14 ISTlast updated:June 07, 2006, 12:14 IST
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The Antigua Test can easily be described as one of the best Test matches in the recent times. Despite the disappointing draw, I would say that Team India played well, capitalised on their strengths, overcame their weaknesses and put up a good show.
However, I feel - and as I have asserted through this match - that Harbhajan Singh was sorely missed.
He should have played this match for two very simple reasons. Firstly, Bhajji could have come real handy considering the hereditary weakness of the Windies to succumb under pressure. It has been West Indies' weak point since the days of Clive Llyod.
Secondly, during the second half of the Test, a spinner or an off-spinner could have restricted Windies easily as they tend to get nervous under pressure. A batsman playing a wrong shot could have given India an early advantage.
However, in the hindsight, I feel it was a great match and has certainly given India a moral victory.
Kudos to Wasim Jaffer for scoring a memorable double ton. It was one of the coolest innings I have seen in the recent times. Jaffer played a mature innings like a seasoned player and did not show nerves. His innings put the pressure back on the West Indian bowlers, who found it difficult turning the ball to their advantage.
The Windies went into an overtly defensive mode from the very beginning and made their nervousness public. Even while they batted, the nervousness showed through and they lost early wickets, giving Indian bowlers and early advantage.
Even an accomplished batsman like Chris Gayle came under psychological pressure after Ram Naresh Sarwan lost his wicket.
Sarwan's dismissal reflected how Windies faced the same problem in the second innings as India faced in the first.
However, while India overcame all their weaknesses of the first innings in the second, Windies succumbed.
India surely is equipped with a psychological advantage for the second Test and the pressure will clearly be on West Indies.
(Krish Srikkanth is a former skipper of Indian cricket team. He maintains a regular blog on IBNLive. His website is www.krishcricket.com)
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