Wanted to score century against India: Samuels

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West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels, who scored a gutsy 78 in the first innings of the second cricket Test, said he wanted to score a century against India on the third day here on Thursday.

Samuels, who is making a comeback in international cricket after serving a two-year ban for match-fixing, was aware of his good record against India. The 30-year-old Jamaican averages 59.20 against India and admitted that he wanted to score a big knock against the world No.1 Test team.

“I have done well against them but they are presently the world’s number one team. I want to score bigger runs against them. I have raised the bar; set bigger standards for myself. I want to be consistent,” said Samuels.

“I wanted to make a 100, I am not satisfied with my 78. In domestic cricket, I have been scoring a lot of 100s and 200s and I now want the world to see it,” said Samuels. Samuels said he enjoyed the competition with Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma, who returned with a career-best six for 55. “There is not only a lot of competition on the field but also off it between me and Ishant. He wants to get me out and I keep telling him I wouldn’t get out to him. He bowled extremely well and it was tough but he didn't get me out,” he said.

With wickets falling at the other end regularly, Samuels said he was never in a hurry to score runs. “I knew it was a longer version of the game and I wanted to take my time. I was determined to spend a lot of time inside. I wanted to score my 100 and then express myself (with attacking strokeplay),” said Samuels. “Steve Waugh once told me that batting at six is a lot of runs with the tail,” he said. Samuels said now he wants to prove himself after serving the ban. “I got a chance after two years in Jamaica and scored 55 runs. Yet I was left out.

There is harder fire inside me. I knew when the opportunity presents itself, I need to grab it with both hands,” he said. “I have faced a lot of obstacles in my life. But it has helped me take life more seriously. Since cricket is the base of my life, I am taking cricket even more seriously,” he added.