West Indies head coach Daren Sammy expressed confidence in his team’s chances in the upcoming two-match Test series against India, led by Shubman Gill. The former all-rounder said that the West Indies drew inspiration from the New Zealand team, who defeated the Men in Blue 3-0 last year on Indian soil.
The West Indies are set to play a two-match series in India as part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Notably, they have not won a Test series on Indian soil for over four decades. The visitors have made bold selection calls, leaving out former skipper Kraigg Brathwaite from the 15-man squad.
Our Seam Attack Could Operate in Any Conditions – West Indies Head Coach
Daren Sammy backed his pace unit to test India’s batting line-up in the upcoming series. With Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, and all-rounder Justin Greaves in the squad, Sammy said that his bowlers have the skills to be effective in different conditions.
“We have found ourselves in a position where our seam attack could operate in any conditions,” Sammy said in a press conference. “That six-to-eight-metre length works across the world. But in our fast-bowling department, we’ve got four different guys who have their own variety.”
The West Indies have opted to rest spinner Gudakesh Motie to manage his workload ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup. Jomel Warrican, all-rounder Roston Chase, and uncapped left-arm spinner Khary Pierre will handle the spin department.
That’s What You Will Need in India – Daren Sammy
Daren Sammy stated that the West Indies have the variety in their bowling attack to take 20 wickets. He added that his team can consistently challenge India’s batting lineup while following a strategy that works in different conditions.
“You have Shamar Joseph, who’s very skiddy, Jayden, who has a strong front leg and can swing the ball both ways, then you have Alzarri Joseph with his height and the bounce he could extract. So, again, we take confidence in that, especially the way they’ve been bowling over the last year,” Sammy stated.
“The ability to take 20 wickets, because that’s what you will need in India. If you can’t take 20 wickets in India, you are on the back foot and we have a bowling line-up of that, especially from the seam department, that could take 20 wickets.”
We Should Take Inspiration from New Zealand – Daren Sammy
The West Indies are preparing for their first Test series win in India since 1983. Sammy said that his side will not travel with a defensive mindset. He revealed that the coaching staff has been closely analyzing data in recent weeks to finalize the strongest possible XI.
Sammy also stated that they will take inspiration from New Zealand’s clean sweep against India in late 2024. He urged his players to learn from the methods that worked for the Kiwis and apply similar strategies in Indian conditions.
“We’re definitely going down there with the mindset to win. We’re not just going to go down there and think, “oh, it’s India”. No. New Zealand went there and did incredibly well and that we should take inspiration from. But again, it’s understanding the things that New Zealand did in those conditions and try to emulate it with our guys as well,” he added.