India seeks to break series deadlock -
St Kitts, June 21: Under fire for the skewed selection policy in the first two matches, India is grappling with its bowling combination as they seek to break the series deadlock and go 1-0 up in the third cricket Test against the West Indies starting here tomorrow.
Riled much by former cricketers and media back home for missing an extra bowler in the preceding two Tests which it could well have won, the Indian team management is choosing defiance over common-sense ahead of the crucial encounter.
Coach Greg Chappell began the tour as a promoter of five-bowler theory but by now is asserting that he wants to make sure his batsmen make big runs to pressurise the opposition, never mind if it is only four men manning the attack. Captain Rahul Dravid is singing the same tune and swearing by four bowlers who nearly did the job in the last game. He is taking a lot of heart from how Virender Sehwag bowled in the last Test in St. Lucia.
While Indian team did everything but pull the noose in the first two games, it probably missed off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in the attack whose stock delivery leaves the left-hander of whom there are at least three in the top six of the West Indian line-up. Lara would be chastened by his recent experience with the selectors. He was saddled with the same set of bowlers even as he went public to ask for a fast bowler of his liking.
He still is likely to favour Marlon Samuels ahead of opener Daren Ganga in the squad as the former is also a useful customer with his off-spinners. Ganga has done little of note in the first two Tests and must face yet another axe in his already chequered career. (Agencies)
