India in quandary over team combination -
Kingston (Jamaica), June 29: India are once again in a quandary over team combination as they approach the fourth and final cricket Test beginning here tomorrow with the ambition of clinching their first series win in the Caribbean in 35 years. The curator of the Sabina Park has dished out a pitch that will be to the faster bowlers' liking, but it is still no guarantee that the match will throw up a winner and break the series deadlock.
But both India and West Indies enter the fray without the conviction that they have the will or the firepower to undo the stalemate after the first three Tests ended in a draw. The only ones to have gained in the past one month are the batsmen and runs have been piled by tons. Five of India's top six now have a century apiece under their belts. For West Indies, three of the top six have done similarly though the likes of Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels have not missed the honour by much.
The euphoria before the team embarked on their Caribbean mission has been firmly put on the backburner. The bowling is realistic and hopes to gain ground through pressure rather than naked aggression. Indians have made some funny team selections in this series but it would be the ugliest if they opt for just two medium-fast bowlers for this game. India's dilemma is clear. If they decide to stick to their four-bowler theory, one of the spinners would have to make way. Anil Kumble is the lynchpin but Harbhajan Singh's five-for in St Kitts is a weighty matter too. His eight wickets in India's previous Test at Sabina Park in 2002 also lends credence to his claims.
If India want to retain spinners and go with five bowlers, then one of the six top batsmen could lose his spot. The coming Test will also be illuminating on Rahul Dravid and his approach to captaincy. Put it down to weather or pitches or circumstances not in his control, but Dravid has somehow appeared shy of taking the bull by the horns. (Agencies)
