November 05 Tuesday 2002
Hooper pleased with Windies show despite being denied a victory 

KOLKATA: Skipper Carl Hooper was positive for a change after the West Indies' impressive show in the third cricket test in Kolkata despite the centuries from rivals Sachin Tendulkar and Vangipurappu Laxman that salvaged a draw for India. The drawn final Test on Sunday gave India a 2-0 series triumph after its resounding wins in the previous two Tests. "We've finally shown our resolve. There was a big improvement in our performance during the third Test,'' Hooper said. 

"For once we had India under pressure, but it was a pity we couldn't convert it into a win. "For once it felt nice to see the West Indies post an impressive score. I was pleased to see Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels strike form.'' Three batsmen, Wavell Hinds, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Samuels, posted centuries in West Indies' only innings, while Gayle fell 12 runs short of the three-figure mark. 

India was bowled out for 358 in its first innings and the West Indies replied with 497, taking a 139-run first innings lead. "The batting display was drastically different from the previous two Tests, where we failed to apply ourselves so well,'' said Hooper, who became the first Windies captain to lose a Test series to India in 23 years. 

Alvin Kallicharan's 1978-79 team was the last Caribbean side to lose a series against India, going down 1-0 in the six-Test series. 

India's only other series triumph against the Windies was in 1971, when Ajit Wadekar led it to a 1-0 series win in the West Indies. The third Test ended in a draw as Tendulkar stroked a stylish 176 and Laxman remained unbeaten on 154 to lead the hosts to a second innings total of 471 for eight when play was called off late in the afternoon session. Tendulkar and Laxman put on 214 runs off 425 deliveries, India's highest fifth-wicket stand against the Windies, to thwart Windies hopes of a comeback. 

"Tendulkar and Laxman took the match away from our grasp,'' said Hooper. ``Our chances depended on separating this pair early and then claim a few more wickets, but they batted through the first session and the victory slipped out of our hands.'' The draw postponed Sourav Ganguly's bid of equaling Mohammed Azharuddin's record, of most wins for an Indian captain, but he was pleased at the fighting innings by Tendulkar and Laxman. 

Ganguly has led India to 13 wins in 30 Tests, while Azharuddin's 14 Test victories came from 47 matches. 

"The Windies produced some fine cricket here at the Eden Gardens. I think we did well to save the Test after trailing in the first innings,'' Ganguly said.

"We were down in the first innings, but fought back in second,'' he said. "Two batsmen stood up and delivered in a crunch situation and that reinforces my belief in this team. 

Sachin's knock was brilliant.'' Tendulkar's match-saving innings came at a cost, the star batsman sustaining a hamstring that will sideline him for the seven-match limited-overs series starting Tuesday at Jamshedpur. 

Indian selectors decided to rest Tendulkar so that he can prepare for a tour to New Zealand later in the year when India will be finetuning for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.