Follow UsIndia grabbed their first points of the current WTC cycle, as they comprehensively defeated the West Indies by an innings and 141 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin with 12 wickets and Yashasvi Jaiswal with 171 were the stars of the match.
The surface was very unlike West Indies, as spinners ended up bowling the majority of overs. Playing after 12 years, it didn’t count for much as the Indian top-order proved to be good enough for the task.
“Ideal start for a Test match, I think. That’s the kind of performance we expect from our boys. We want to carry our form from the last series. I wasn’t expecting it to be that easy. I thought that the wicket was difficult, and it became more difficult and slow over time, and started to turn a little more as well. But, the way we batted and bowled was really pleasing to watch.
“When we came here on the first day, it did seem a bit dry. Even if we look at the domestic games that have been played here, spinners have dominated there as well. So, when we saw the surface on the first day, we did feel that our spinners would have a bigger role to play and that batting would get progressively more difficult,” Paras Mhambrey said at the post match press conference.
With a lot of chatter happening on social media questioning the relevance of a series like this, and whether all the bowlers are being as valued as the ones wielding a bat, Mhambrey was quick to dismiss any such issues.
He was lavish in his praise for Ashwin and Jaiswal. While the former exploited the conditions on offer to great effect, the latter played like a pro in his debut knock. Jaiswal was also awarded the Player of The Match for his 171.
“Again, all of this noise happens outside the dressing room. When we sit down to discuss, we don’t focus too much on all of what’s happening outside. When we came here, we came here knowing that this is an international tour, this is a Test series. It is the most difficult form of cricket, and to be able to play that is a motivation in itself.
“We were confident in our plans, we knew what our approach would be to this tour, and this is the kind of application one can expect from us in this series. We don’t pay attention to what others think is right or wrong, all we want is to focus on our plans and its execution.
“This might happen outside the dressing room, but all of us inside take note of every such performance and try our best to let them know the value of their achievements. Ashwin is one of the best match winners in our squad, and it’s hard for me to explain his performance in plain words.
“The way he’s batted has been fabulous. It wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on. It became slower, and you had to apply yourself as a batter. Stroke making wasn’t easy. And if you’ve seen him, you know that he’s someone who likes to take on the bowlers, but the way he applied himself was very good to see.”
“That’s what you need at the international level, the ability to adapt to different conditions and situations. He played according to what the team required, and that was very heartening to see. The performance here will give him a lot of confidence, and will keep him in good stead going forward in the series.
Given the increased incidence of injuries in the Indian team, workload management has been a buzzword off late. And with the number of matches not going down any soon, Mhambrey admitted that they will have to strategize how to utilize the resources available, and he felt that strengthening their bench strength would be key to optimal workload management.
According to the Indian bowling coach, not having adequate bench strength would force them to use their first XI options a lot more frequently, making them more prone to injuries. This was especially the case with their pace attack, which has seen the likes of Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohsin Khan, Prasidh Krishna, to name a few, get injured for extended periods in the last couple of years.
“Injury is a major concern. If you look at the last 12-18 months, Bumrah has unfortunately ended up missing quite a few games for us. We’ve not earmarked anyone for red-ball or white-ball cricket. But yeah, we will definitely have to sit down and discuss breaks and how to ensure everyone is adequately rested.
“This is where the importance of bench strength is truly understood. Having a strong bench ensures that we won’t miss our first XI players that much. Be it Avesh, Arshdeep, or Mukesh, we a lot of interesting talent who we’re looking to groom, so that when the time comes, they can make the jump to international cricket easily,” he added.