Welcome to an epic Battle in Basseterre
If you like an exciting brand of good cricket full of twists and turns — first this way and then the other, then that way and then another — then I would suggest that you pack your bags now and get to the sunny Caribbean before next Tuesday. Are you an avid cricket fan who enjoys the excitement of living on the edge and being taken to the brink? Or do you simply like to relax?
Then hop on the next flight to a little jewel along the shimmering archipelago in the Caribbean sea called St. Kitts — it sits right alongside its sister isle named Nevis where the rich and famous like to play.
For the uninitiated, this is an invitation for you to come and see India and the West Indies at play in the 3rd ODI. And be sure to check in with your cardiologist before you take off because you just might be witnessing another dramatic heart-stopping match. For these are the cardiac kids shrewdly guided by two grand old men — Rahul Dravid, 33, and Brian Lara, 37. If the 1st ODI which gave India a sweet victory off the penultimate ball of the match and the 2nd ODI on Saturday which the Windies won with a mere two balls to spare were any indication, then you would be in for a treat.
In my view, as the Indians become more acclimatized to the conditions here, and should the West Indians cultivate a liking for the sweet smell of success once again, the matches on this itinerary will get progressively better. Depending on your point of view, if the ‘Thriller at Sabina’ on Thursday was ‘fan’tastic, the sequel on Saturday was even better. The out-cricket on both sides was markedly improved, particularly that of the home teams.
As I suggested previously, after the opening match, the West Indies surely would have been convinced that they belonged on the same field with one of the best prototype ODI squads on the planet. Yet, who would have thought that the much-maligned, often ridiculed West Indies could derail a steam-rolling juggernaut looking for its 18th consecutive successful run-chase, let alone a less than modest target of 199? But as they say, that is why they play the games.
It was a joy to watch two 25 year-olds take control of their respective teams and virtually carry them on their backs. Ramnaresh Sarwan, determined to make amends for the injudicious stroke in the previous match that brought his downfall as well as his fielding lapses, played an invaluable innings for the West Indies.
Yuvraj Singh, an immensely talented player and a more seasoned campaigner with no fewer than 151 ODIs under his belt, appeared impregnable as he tried to stake India to a two-nil lead in this five-match series. In the bitter end, it was the picture of the agony and the ecstasy that lingered in one’s mind, as Yuvraj, motionless in mid-pitch, contemplated the rueful finality of his dismissal for 93, while 23 year-old Dwayne Bravo pranced jubilantly carnival-style, in celebration of what could be a seminal victory as the Windies work their way incrementally to possibly being the second host team (after 1996 co-host Sri Lanka) to win the ICC World Cup.
Their recent contrasting records notwithstanding, the teams appear to be closely matched with India perhaps holding a razor-thin edge. Surely, the tiny island of St. Kitts and the city of Basseterre, preparing to host its first ODI, could not have asked for a more exciting match. Buoyed by their victory, West Indies may not make any change to their line-up. Yet I would not be too surprised to see all-rounder Dwayne Smith get his first strike of the series in place of Marlon Samuels. And perhaps Chanderpaul still seeking his old form should bat much earlier in the order — even at No. 2.
Whatever the final XI however, West Indies should not be complacent, must continue to improve on their out-cricket and hone every aspect of their game. India meanwhile will look to their veterans Virender Sehwag and skipper Rahul Dravid to steer them clear of the dreaded Caribbean jinx. Let me once again caution you to fasten your seatbelts. If you thought the first two matches were compelling, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet!’
