[1]Think of the Kotla, and you have to think of history, as much as of mighty cricketing feats. Anil Kumble’s 10/74 in 1999 against Pakistan remains the high water mark of these achievements, but Indians have tended to go well here — England’s John Lever on debut in 1976 and Geoffrey Boycott in 1981 being exceptions.
Sunil Gavaskar equalled the Don’s record of 29 centuries here in the 1983-84 season. Prasanna and Bedi shared 18 wickets to help beat Australia in 1969, and most recently, Sachin Tendulkar surpassed the original Little Master’s record of most Test hundreds with his 35th ton against Sri Lanka in December, 2005.
Six years later, the Master Blaster is again the centre of all the buzz. Will he, or won’t he is the question that has been dogging not only Tendulkar, but Indian cricket for some time now. With 99 international hundreds against his name, Tendulkar has been carrying around this particular monkey on his back since the World Cup ended.
But then, that is something he has become used to over the course of his 181 Test matches, so this is nothing really new as his run-making has broken new ground across the world. And each time, the expectations have weighed heavily.
The West Indies are here off a series win in Bangladesh — their first away victory in eight years — are bolstered by a batting line-up that may not be brilliant, but certainly more resilient that it was at home against Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men. The eternal Shivnaraine Chanderaul and comeback man Marlon Samuels have given them some steel while some of the younger element have started to show signs that they too belong at the highest level.
Against them is a line-up of batsmen that has of late had gaping holes. But Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh all back in play, which means the top two-thirds of the XI picks itself. What holds interest is the shape of the Indian attack.
For the first time in nine years neither Zaheer Khan nor Harbhajan Singh are in a starting XI for India. Ishant Sharma is the senior bowler in this pack, and there are likely to be at least two debuts — if not more — on Sunday when Dhoni walks out for the toss. It now remains to be seen how they, and the pitch, shape up over the next five days.
Teams: West Indies (from): Darren Sammy (capt), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Keiran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford.
India (likely XI): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron.
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Rod Tucker (Aust). Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ)
Onus is on the all-new attack
For years, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh toiled shoulder to shoulder for India’s cause. By and large their efforts were preceded first by Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad. and later, by Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra (or a changing cast of fast-bowling characters).
On Sunday though, both these stalwarts — the Punjab off-spinner and the Mumbai seamer — will be missing for the first time from an Indian starting XI together in almost a decade.
In some ways, this could signal a seminal shift. All of a sudden, as it was in England earlier this summer, the onus of leading the attack will fall on the young shoulders of Ishant Sharma.
With his experienced team-mates on the bench for one reason or another, the lanky Delhi lad now finds himself the spearhead in India’s efforts to change their recent run of Test match defeats — four of which came in a row against England and where Sharma bowled his heart put with little support.
Now however, on the slow and spin-friendly Indian wickets, India’a inexperienced bowling attack has a chance of rising to the occasion.
One of two rookies, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron, will line up alongside Sharma with the new ball while Pragyan Ojha is more than likely to have ODI specialist R. Ashwin as his partner in the XI, though there is a slim chance that leg-spinner Rahul Sharma will get the nod. “Two debutants can be in the playing XI tomorrow,” India skipper MS Dhoni said here on the day.
Toughest test as captain, says Sammy
Playing India at home is never easy, more so when the visiting side have very few known faces. West Indies skipper Darren Sammy is well aware of the challenge and did not shy when he termed the three-Test series against India as the “biggest of his career”.
“It will be the biggest challenge for the players and for me as a captain. India are such a prestigious side with great players. It will be the toughest test for us,” Sammy said ahead of the first Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla, here on Saturday.
Reiterating coach Ottis Gibson’s thoughts, Sammy said, “We cannot be fearful, we have to perform our best. We have to be hungry to do well and give our best.”
Only Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Denesh Ramdin and Marlon Samuels have played more than 20 Tests for the West Indies as opposed to India’s star-studded line-up that includes Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.
Sammy added wiining the Test series gainst Bangladesh recently will hold them in good stead.
“We have come from Bangladesh after a successful tour. So we are not totally unprepared. We are not new to the conditions here,” he said.
With the hype around Tendulkar’s 100th ton gaining momentum, Sammy said his bowlers will try to make things difficult for the batting maestro.
Best batting
In India:
* 236* Sunil Gavaskar at Chennai 1983-84
* 256 Rohan Kanhai at Kolkata 1958-59
In West Indies
* 220 Sunil Gavaskar at Port of Spain 1970-71
* 237 Frank Worrell at Kingston 1952-53
Sunil Gavaskar has recorded the highest individual score for India against the West Indies (both home and away).
Best bowling
In India:
*9-83 Kapil Dev at Ahmedabad 1983-84
*7-64 Andy Roberts at Chennai 1975-76
In West Indies
* 7-162 Subhash Gupte at Port of Spain 1952-53
* 9-95 Jack Noreiga at Port of Spain 1970-71
Leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani has the best match figures for India against the West Indies (16 for 136 at Chennai in 1987-88).
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