Expecting slow wickets in Test matches: Shardul

Garner has now been handed the role on a three-year basis and his first job will be to help prepare the team for the upcoming Test series against India, which gets underway at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound on July 21.

Indian spin troika of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra kept their stranglehold on the inexperienced West Indies Board Presidents XI to bowl them out for a paltry 180 on the first day of the final warm-up game, here today.

“Selection is something not in my control”.

Miguel Cummins should have played his first Test between the showers in Sydney in January but is now likely to get the burgundy cap and a heavy workload, especially if Shannon Gabriel remains injury-prone and Devendra Bishoo’s worn spinning finger succumbs to the rigours of protracted spells. It’s not something I am anxious about.

Meanwhile, at time of going to print, WICB President’s XI were 104 for three. Over the past year or two they played really well in the first innings.

“Mentally, we have to be prepared about hot and humid conditions here”. “I did bowl a few bouncers and nearly got a wicket with one in the second innings”. He struck early in the first innings to remove opener Leon Johnson and bowled ten overs giving away just 24 runs. Ajinkya Rahane and Wriddhiman Saha also scored comfortable thirties. Spin has supposedly been our downfall for the last couple series or years and I think we have gotten better. Other Indian bowlers struggled to get the wickets. All of them have increased their fitness levels and pace, so it is good to see them bending their back on tough wickets like these.

“I don’t know about other venues”.

“The pitches are getting slower”.

“It is going to be challenging because of the kind of heat and wicket that are being used”.

“Working my way through different formats has not changed my batting approach much”. You know there is a lot of planning when he is around. “As professional cricketers we need to adapt”, he said. During India’s tour in 2001-’02, the hosts won the five-match Test series 2-1. “You have (a) very short time to understand these things”. “But then they have to also identify their areas of strength because everybody has their own strengths”.

Expressing happiness over the appointment, Garner said he is looking forward to share his experience with the players.

Anil Kumble’s presence has been inspiring, feels Ashwin. As a person too, he is a very aggressive personality. The picture also had a member from the management team.

Dujon, who represented West Indies between 1981 and 1991, says Ramdins experience will be needed against India despite an unimpressive batting average.