The West Indies v India series currently taking place in India is a made up series in order to give a memorable farewell in front of home crowd to Sachin Tendulkar.
Coming into this series, the Indian team was in very good form defeating Australia at home in high scoring series.
Going by India’s current form and batting line-up, the not-so-exciting series will be a no-contest between two teams and India is clearly looking favourite to win it 2-0.
India have very strong batting line-up including Shikar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and their bowling unit too has shaped up good.
Mohammed Shami almost single handedly crushed the West Indies batsmen with sharp reverse swing.
R Ashwin is difficult to handle if the pitch gives bounce and turn.
While the West Indies have quite a few experienced players in Chris Gayle, Dwane Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, they have to pull up their socks and bat with great determination to post any challenge to India.
Their bowling unit has few new faces but doesn’t look penetrating and capable of taking 20 Indian wickets.
They do have Keymar Roach who can bowl fast and trouble the batsmen, but his fitness is a concern.
India’s strong batting line-up plays exceedingly well against spin, so Shane Shillingford and Veerasammy Permaul have to bowl out of their skin to challenge Indian batsmen, which looks a distant dream.
This series will only be remembered as Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell series, as there appears to be no contest on the field.
Clark
Guest
It also stated that India's tour to South Africa should be a full tour. But the BCCI Didn't want that so that is okay...
Bayman
Guest
..could we please get Sachin to his 200th Test so we can all move on.
TT4
Guest
I never said I was an expert. I have talked to more than a few poms who are more in touch with what's happening on the ground than you and have seen enough evidence to come to the conclusion that Cricket is far from "never been healthier" under the surface. You may have bulls***ed your way in saying that the game is in "good shape" or whatever, but never been healthier? Nice try. Just because you hit a ball on some crappy suburban ground every weekend and see a few kids take up the sport you're the expert on all things English Cricket. I don't see any other poms on here backing you up, apart from that wannabe pom Hookin’ who doesn't count anyways. If it makes you feel better Cricket is also slowly dying here as well. ;)
ChrisUK
Guest
I see - so you talk to a few people and believe you're an expert on things, and call those who actually see it every day people with "rocks for brains" when they tell you about the reality of the game on the ground. Tell me, have you always been so arrogant, or is this a recent development?
TT4
Guest
Well you clearly don't actually need to be in the country to get a grip of things there, you're enough evidence of that.
ChrisUK
Guest
That is meant to be your justification? That you've "spoken" to people? Well I live it every day and see it every day. You don't.
TT4
Guest
As if I would just go off my own opinion and not get knowledge from people on the frontline. I have spoken to Englishmen first hand who are far more in touch with the game in England than someone like you and seen other opinions all over the interest to make it pretty clear that Cricket is far from "never been healthier" that homers like you would have people believe. @ crazy old Hookin; umm thanks for that. I know what was happening and what you said, but it was pure BS and if you couldn't get tickets 3 months out at any ground then you must have been looking with your eyes closed. Next you'll be telling me you also tried to get tickets for the NZ games and couldn't because the game is booming and all that! haha
Mumbai Indian
Guest
What is the point behind any other cricket series? What is the point of the over-hyped, overrated, mediocrity-filled 'Ashes' series? Which cricket series, or which sporting contest is going to change the world, or eradicate global poverty? About time editors applied some common sense, and stopped publishing these nonsensical articles wondering about 'what is the point' about this-or-that series. If this particular India-West Indies series is a waste of time, so is any other series. At the very least, the Eden Gardens Test saw more spectators than most other Test matches in the past 10 years.
Zubes
Guest
The next India/WI test will be Sachin's 200th and Chanderpaul's 150th Test. Who would want to miss that?
josh
Roar Rookie
The technical answer would be, they had to as per the ICC FTP.
ChrisUK
Guest
TT4, since I am in England, since I play tlhe game, since I see kids taking it up at a rate I've never seen before, since colts sections in clubs are overflowing I respectfully suggest I know a damn sight more about it than you do from afar. And if you seriously believe that you know better by looking at a few things from all that distance away, I can only assume you have "rocks for brains" yourself. It's about more than just the top line.
Homer
Guest
The ECB is financially viable because of three reasons - the contract with SKY, the Pataudi Trophy and the Ashes, in that order. The problem with the SKY contract is that it is no longer free to air TV, and the unintended consequences thereof. The Pataudi Trophy, along with the Ashes will now be 5 tests long. Which begs the obvious question - since the contract with SKY mandates a home stand of 7 tests and 15 ODIs,will England be keen to host any of the other test playing nations in the next 5 years? Remember also that the ECB is planing to move its home schedule, so as not to interfere with the IPL, starting next year. All in all, this suggests to me that the 3 Test series against South Africa is but a portend of things to come - South Africa are not commercially viable (5 ODIs against Australia, anyone) and wont see anymore than 3 Test series, if that. That said, even the South Africans are not keen on Test cricket - vide the crowds when Australia toured ( for a 2 Test series, mind) and also the fact that the Durban Test last year was changed to a T20. And with the SLC and PCB playing ODIs and T20s exclusively, the test cricket landscape is skewed heavily to 3 Trophies - the Ashes, the B-G Trophy and the Pataudi Trophy. It is then a welcome change that the West Indies are playing Test Cricket in India, whatever the underlying reasons. Cheers,
ak
Roar Guru
Do they have a labour union? He He
Hookin' YT
Guest
TT4. Is yours a manual? Better than than the fusl clutch stuff eh? We were replying to ChrisUK who stated the gane is healthy in the UK. I was verifying that I couldn't get tickets.
TT4
Guest
Sure you couldn't Hookin' ;). 1) English ground are the size of post stamps 2) This was an Ashes series where England was always going to win. Funny now when people from either England or Australia try and show that the game is, umm, booming that they always bring the Ashes upas an example. Funny how they never bring up a New Zealand or Sri Lanka touring summer as an example.
TT4
Guest
Yeah, and Cricket in Australia is thriving at all levels and has never been healthier too. *wink wink* haha Honestly how do people actually believe this stuff? Even if you did believe the boards company lines that their sport is in "great shape" right now, do you actually believe that it's in healthier shape than say before pre WWII where Cricket was clearly far popular and far bigger in both countries? The phrase "never been healthier" is so overused when it comes to sports. Anyone who seriously believes that Cricket has never been healthier in either England or Australia has rocks for brains.
Hookin' YT
Guest
Tried to get tickets to ANY test in England 3 months out and couldn't. Game is booming. TT4, I drive an Audi, do you as well?
ChrisUK
Guest
Cricket in England is thriving at all levels. To suggest it is a fight against it dying out is sheer ignorance, it's never been healthier.
ChrisUK
Guest
And the return in India will also be 5 tests. That's the idea going forward, that it will be a marquee series of 5 tests between the two. England are also keen that series against South Africa will henceforth return to 5 tests. The South Africans at this stage aren't so keen.
TT4
Guest
What are you talking about? Who is going to take down the BCCI? The two other biggest boards in world cricket are the CA and ECB and they have a hard enough time trying to stop their sports from dying out in their countries. Let me guess, another board within India is going to take down the BCCI right? Haha turn it right up mate. They'll just do the same thing that the BCCI do and that's do whatever the hell they want because they make most of the money in world cricket. Good people don't do s*** in this world. In this world money talks and India and the BCCI make and have the most and that will never change. The BCCI will only stop having power over cricket when sport dies, which it is slowing doing right now anyways. You only have to look at home, just look at how useless and money hungry CA are and how much they run Cricket into the ground here, but guess what? Barely anyone have done anything about it.