October 30 Wednesday 2002
India eye maiden Test sweep

KOLKATA: India are in no mood for mercy on the West Indies in the third and final cricket Test here on Wednesday despite having already clinched a three-match series.

India won the first two matches at Bombay and Madras, but are keen to make a clean sweep against the West Indies for the first time since the Test series between the two teams began in 1948-49.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly has more than one reason for winning the Test at his home ground. He will equal former captain Mohammad Azharuddin's Indian record of 14 Test wins if his team beat Carl Hooper's men again. He will also achieve the feat in fewer Tests than his predecessor.

Azharuddin led his team to 14 victories in 47 matches, while Ganguly has so far taken 29 Tests as captain for 13 wins. Ganguly has already succeeded in keeping his reputation intact of not losing a home Test series since taking over the captaincy from Sachin Tendulkar in 2000, but yet to complete a whitewash.

"We are not complacent after winning two Tests, but confident of making it 3-0," Ganguly said on Tuesday. Ganguly has the best chance of leading India to a clean sweep because the West Indies now look a pale shadow of their former selves, having impressed neither in batting nor in bowling.

Experts believe the current West Indies team is weaker than even Alvin Kallicharran's Kerry Packer-affected squad that lost a six-Test series 1-0 in India in 1978-79. "This (West Indies) team simply don't have any substance," said former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi.

"Batting, bowling or fielding, they are just pathetic. In comparison, however, the 1978 squad was slightly better despite the fact that they had just a few big names." The West Indies' chances of salvaging their pride depend on their batting, for their bowling has looked too pedestrian to put pressure on Indian batsman on slow turning tracks in the previous two Tests.

Hooper has yet to lead from the front, having failed to make a half-century in four Test innings. He is not the only batsman struggling for runs against Indian spinners Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble.

Batting has been a big let-down as only three West Indians -- Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul -- have scored half-centuries. "We are giving too much respect to Indian spinners either by batting too cautiously or playing too many loose strokes," said Hooper.

"My own form has not been very good. I haven't played a big knock. I'd like to do it here as we are playing for pride." Fielding is another major worry for Hooper, whose team dropped a dozen catches in two Tests to allow the hosts to seize the initiative.

Ganguly will be disappointed if fails to realise his dream of not only completing a sweep, but also of scoring his first Test century on home ground.

"It will be a dream for me to get a hundred here. I hope you all will pray for me," said Ganguly, who has scored nine centuries in 64 Tests. India are likely to include left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra in the playing eleven for the only change from the team that won the second Test at Madras.

India (from): Sourav Ganguly (capt), Sanjay Bangar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman, Parthiv Patel, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra, Shiv Das, Ajit Agarkar, Amit Mishra.

West Indies (from): Carl Hooper (capt), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ryan Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Gareth Breese, Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins, Jermaine Lawson, Cameron Cuffy, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Darren Powell, Daren Ganga, Marlon Samuels.

Umpires: David Shepherd (England) and Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka). TV Umpire: Avi Jayaprakash (India). 
Match referee: Mike Proctor (South Africa).