MUMBAI, India, CMC- West Indies captain Darren Sammy said his side can resist the groundswell of sentiments that will accompany the second Test against India, starting at midnight East Caribbean Time and find redemption with a victory.
The second Test has been transformed into the great farewell for India’s star batsman Sachin Tendulkar. He will be playing an unprecedented 200th and final Test for his homeland on familiar territory at the Wankhede Stadium and the emotions are likely to be high among his fans, hoping for a final glimpse of his mastery.
“It’s about us now putting it right out on the pitch and fighting hard for each other and the people of the Caribbean. We are looking to put a much improved performance in the second Test,” said Sammy.
“We have all been in this situation before and we have always bounced back. We have to keep believing in ourselves and in our ability, and keep mentally focussed when we are out on the field”. The Windies trail 0-1 in the two-Test series, following an innings and 51-run defeat inside three days in the first Test that ended last Friday at Eden Gardens in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata. But Sammy said his side’s objective was clear – earn a series-levelling victory that would invariably spoil Tendulkar’s retirement party and prove against the No.3 Test side in the World that No.6 West Indies was a side moving in the upward direction in the World rankings. “We had a couple training sessions over the last few days and they have been going well,” he said.
“We have all been working very hard. We are all disappointed about our performance in the previous Test and we all admitted we are a better than side than what we displayed in Kolkata”.
West Indies plans were setback over the weekend, when key fast bowler Kemar Roach was ruled out of the remainder of the series with a shoulder injury.
Fellow fast bowler Shannon Gabriel arrived on Monday to replace Roach.
Sammy said rather than cry over Roach’s absence, it meant that another bowler has the opportunity to shine brightly. “We will make do with the bowlers that we have here,” he said. “Whatever 11 goes out onto the field must have a positive mindset that they can take 20 wickets against India.”
