(WICB) BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Feisty West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo said he was ready for what he believes could be a career-defining battle against Australia’s batsmen in the Digicel three-Test Series.
Expectations were great across the Caribbean, as the West Indies prepared to challenge the Aussies in a bid to recapture the coveted Frank Worrell Trophy.
With the first Digicel Test beginning on Saturday at Kensington Oval, the confident Bishoo knows he will be called on to do some hard work in the coming weeks.
“I’m really excited to get back onto the field,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to this. I’m ready to perform.
“I was in the team for the Digicel One-day Internationals and didn’t get a chance (to play), so for me this is my chance.
“My mind is fully focussed on the job that’s required. I spoke a lot to Shiv and he told me to just stick to the basics and back my ability.
“I’ve been playing international cricket for just about a year now and I’ve realised you have to be consistent. The good players will punish you if you’re not on top of your game, so you have to be ready from ball one.”
Last year, Bishoo was exceptional for West Indies. He captured 40 wickets in 11 matches to be the team’s leading bowler in Test cricket.
He took his first five-wicket haul to bowl the side to victory in the second Test against Bangladesh at Mirpur. The World took note and he was named the ICC Emerging Player of the Year.
“Last year was a good year for me, but I want to get better,” he said. “I don’t want to stay at one level and I certainly don’t want to take a step backwards.
“I’m working harder than I’ve ever worked before and I enter this series in good form.”
Bishoo and allrounder Narsingh Deonarine both hail from the Albion Club in Berbice, Guyana. If the two play together on Saturday, it will be the first time two Albion men line up in the same Test match for West Indies.
“That would be special,” he said. “We spoke about it and it would be great. I’m sure all the good people at Albion would be very happy if this came about.
“I admire Narsingh a lot. He’s a great team-mate and has worked hard to get back into the team. We are both confident and looking to do well for Albion and the West Indies.”
