New Delhi: Indian bowlers put up a disappointing performance on the third day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on Saturday, 22 July. On a rainy day, the West Indies added only 143 runs in 67 overs to take the total to 229/5. The pitch was flat for the batsmen and very slow for the bowlers.
Indian bowlers had to struggle on the pitch of Queens Oval
The Indian bowlers, both pacers and spinners, are struggling to replicate their achievements in the first Test in Dominica on a slow Trinidad pitch. The pacers had no real movement with the ball but spin duo Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja struggled to get the ball moving towards the wickets.
Indian bowling coach on pitch conditions
India’s bowling coach and former cricketer Paras Mhambrey called the Trinidad pitch “flat” after the third day’s play. It will be a real challenge for the Indian bowlers to bowl in the West Indies in the first innings, he said, adding that the bowlers will have to work very hard for this.
“The wicket should be a level playing field with opportunities in all divisions, whether batting or bowling.” “If we go to either extreme… Dominica got a little twisted. Given the number of bowlers we have, we could have done better on that wicket,” Mhambrey told the station.
“It is very difficult to get 20 wickets with this wicket. The first job is to throw them in the first innings and then see where the game is. Then we reconsider what to do after the second innings.
These wickets are challenging and represent a lot of effort for the bowler. The wicket should not be so flat,” he said. Jadeja bowled India to the wicket of Tagierin Chanderpur in 35 overs, while Ashwin picked a prized wicket of Kraigg Brathwaite, who finished with 75 for 235.
Mukesh Kumar’s successful international debut
Mukesh Kumar, who made his debut for Team India in white jersey, bowled only 14 overs in two days. Kumar successfully got the wicket of another debutant, Kirk McKenzie, to make his international debut.
Mhambrey praised the 29-year-old fast bowler and said that Kumar put his all in behind the ball even as the pitch was not helping the bowlers.
Mhambrey further said, “I think he bowled very well. It is very pleasing to see him given the conditions and the way he has thrown everything behind the ball and that is what is expected of him and that is what we wanted from the team management. Just to give his best and that’s what he did.”