'They Didn't Even Try': India Bowling Coach Says West Indies Batting With Defensive Mindset, Criticises Flat Pitch

Before the play on Day 3 of the first Test could end, India had wrapped up the proceedings for a big innings win over West Indies in Dominica last week. On a turning pitch, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja had the home batters dancing to their tunes with the spin duo picking up 17 wickets between them.

Fast forward to the ongoing second Test in Trinidad’s Queen’s Park Oval where a total of 15 wickets have fallen across three days on a flat pitch and West Indies are still batting in their first innings having crawled to 229/5 in 108 overs after India’s 438-all out.

Naturally, the bowlers are being made to toil but India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey thinks that the defensive mindset of West Indies batter hasn’t been helpful either.

“The pitch is very slow, very easy for batting. Towards the end, it started turning a bit. West Indies were defensive with the bat too. When there’s an attempt to play shots, there’s an opportunity to get a wicket but they didn’t even try that. We were quite impressive, our bowlers did whatever was expected of them though,” Mhambrey said after the end of play on Day 3.

Mhambrey was critical of the pitch, pointing out how it should have something for everyone and needs to be result oriented.

“I think the pitch should be sporting,” he said. “There has to be a balance – something for batters and bowlers. Yes, Dominica pitch had turn but we utilised the conditions better, the quality of our bowlers allowed us to use it well. On this pitch though it will be hard to take 20 wickets. First target is to get them all out in the first innings and then see what lies ahead. Obviously, it’s hard work for bowlers on such wickets but yeah, they shouldn’t be so flat. It’s not entertaining, you want to get results.”

With two days left in the contest and West Indies trailing by 209 runs, Mhambrey says taking a couple of wickets early on Day 4 could throw open the contest.

“We are trying to win the match, go session by session. Will see how it’s after the first hour. The ball is still new thankfully. The way Siraj and Mukesh have bowled and generated swing, looks like we can take wickets. 1-2 wickets early on will throw open the game. We are playing with the mindset to win,” he said.