October 02
Windies head for Indian tracks minus Lara

NEW DELHI: When India went to the Caribbean earlier this year, the expectation surrounding the battle between Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar ended in an anti-climax. This time, it will be a no-show. 

The world's two best batsmen looked ordinary in the five-test series with Tendulkar edging the personal duel by virtue of scoring 117, his only century of the tour, in Trinidad. West Indies, led by Carl Hooper, arrive in India late on Tuesday for a three-test return tour hoping to combat the spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble on turning tracks. 

But without Lara in their midst after he was taken ill after scoring 111 against Kenya at the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka last month, it will not be easy. The 33-year-old left-hander from Trinidad, suffering from suspected hepatitis, scored 688 runs at 114.66 in a three-test series in Sri Lanka last year. 

He punished off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, perhaps the best in the business, but could not prevent a 3-0 defeat for a team that once dominated world cricket but is now known to struggle overseas. Winning will be even tougher in India on surfaces where world champions Australia lost 2-1 last year. 

West Indies can take heart, however, from the win over India earlier this year and from the batting form shown by Hooper and left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The Guyanese duo were unstoppable, scoring more than 550 runs each in five tests. Hooper hammered a career-best 233 and Chanderpaul had three centuries -- in Guyana, Barbados and Antigua.

"For most part of the series, Chanderpaul and Hooper were at the crease. I'm tired of watching them bat," Indian captain Saurav Ganguly had said jokingly after the tour. It was also a coming-out series for fast bowler Mervyn Dillon, who captured 23 wickets at 27.21, and medium-pacer Cameron Cuffy was equally impressive with 17 at an average of 21.88. 

Hooper said at the time that the series showed West Indies cricket had finally turned the corner. But that proved premature when, despite 204 by opener Chris Gayle, they stumbled 1-0 at home against New Zealand in July. 

"It's how you finish that counts. We have the ability, we need to get all the guys playing like Carl Hooper did against India," Viv Richards, chairman of selectors, said. Former captain Richards earlier this year said West Indies cricket was at its lowest point ever. 

India, fresh from their joint Champions Trophy victory with hosts Sri Lanka and a satisfying 1-1 test series in England, are growing in confidence due to the induction of young blood. 

Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh have transformed the team into a keener outfit, although they may have to wait for a while before they can break into a batting line-up boasting Virender Sehwag, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Vangipurappu Laxman and in-form Rahul Dravid. The bowling department, a perpetual worry, also looks more balanced. 

The experienced Javagal Srinath is expected to return from test retirement and left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan is growing in stature with every match. The slow bowlers, off-spinner Harbhajan and leg-break bowler Kumble, are always a handful at home. 

Kumble, India's most successful current bowler with 333 scalps, is best known for capturing all 10 Pakistani second innings wickets at New Delhi in 1999. Harbhajan, nicknamed 

"The Turbanator", grabbed 32 Australian wickets in last year's three-test series. The visitors take on Board President's XI, led by Kaif, in a three-day game starting in Bangalore on Friday before the first test in Bombay on October 9.

NEW DELHI: When India went to the Caribbean earlier this year, the expectation surrounding the battle between Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar ended in an anti-climax. This time, it will be a no-show. 

The world's two best batsmen looked ordinary in the five-test series with Tendulkar edging the personal duel by virtue of scoring 117, his only century of the tour, in Trinidad. West Indies, led by Carl Hooper, arrive in India late on Tuesday for a three-test return tour hoping to combat the spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble on turning tracks. 

But without Lara in their midst after he was taken ill after scoring 111 against Kenya at the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka last month, it will not be easy. The 33-year-old left-hander from Trinidad, suffering from suspected hepatitis, scored 688 runs at 114.66 in a three-test series in Sri Lanka last year. 

He punished off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, perhaps the best in the business, but could not prevent a 3-0 defeat for a team that once dominated world cricket but is now known to struggle overseas. Winning will be even tougher in India on surfaces where world champions Australia lost 2-1 last year. 

West Indies can take heart, however, from the win over India earlier this year and from the batting form shown by Hooper and left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The Guyanese duo were unstoppable, scoring more than 550 runs each in five tests. Hooper hammered a career-best 233 and Chanderpaul had three centuries -- in Guyana, Barbados and Antigua.

"For most part of the series, Chanderpaul and Hooper were at the crease. I'm tired of watching them bat," Indian captain Saurav Ganguly had said jokingly after the tour. It was also a coming-out series for fast bowler Mervyn Dillon, who captured 23 wickets at 27.21, and medium-pacer Cameron Cuffy was equally impressive with 17 at an average of 21.88. 

Hooper said at the time that the series showed West Indies cricket had finally turned the corner. But that proved premature when, despite 204 by opener Chris Gayle, they stumbled 1-0 at home against New Zealand in July. 

"It's how you finish that counts. We have the ability, we need to get all the guys playing like Carl Hooper did against India," Viv Richards, chairman of selectors, said. Former captain Richards earlier this year said West Indies cricket was at its lowest point ever. 

India, fresh from their joint Champions Trophy victory with hosts Sri Lanka and a satisfying 1-1 test series in England, are growing in confidence due to the induction of young blood. 

Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh have transformed the team into a keener outfit, although they may have to wait for a while before they can break into a batting line-up boasting Virender Sehwag, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Vangipurappu Laxman and in-form Rahul Dravid. The bowling department, a perpetual worry, also looks more balanced. 

The experienced Javagal Srinath is expected to return from test retirement and left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan is growing in stature with every match. The slow bowlers, off-spinner Harbhajan and leg-break bowler Kumble, are always a handful at home. 

Kumble, India's most successful current bowler with 333 scalps, is best known for capturing all 10 Pakistani second innings wickets at New Delhi in 1999. Harbhajan, nicknamed 

"The Turbanator", grabbed 32 Australian wickets in last year's three-test series. The visitors take on Board President's XI, led by Kaif, in a three-day game starting in Bangalore on Friday before the first test in Bombay on October 9.