No self-respect: Team India celebrate win despite being stretched by lambs of cricket

New Delhi: In the end, India needed just one hour to get the remaining 58 runs but in doing that Shubman Gill’s impetuosity, perhaps caused by the frustration of having been stretched till the fifth day of the second Test, boiled over. He threw away his wicket in trying to go for a big shot.

India wrapped up the second Test played at Arun Jaitley Stadium’s historic Ferozeshah Kotla ground by seven wickets and though India coach Gautam Gambhir said the series “was a huge tick” for him, there were alarm bells in the second Test.

India were made to bat after enforcing follow on for the first time in 13 years – the last time it happened was in 2012 against England at Ahmedabad. They conceded two centuries to opposition batsmen in a single innings in what was the third innings of the match.

The bowlers had to toil for more than 200 overs, and had West Indies batsmen batted sensibly or had more Test match cricket under their belt – which is now the privilege usurped by the Big 3 – they may have made Indians toil for more.

There was indeed no glory in the win even though Gautam Gambhir and the team members sported smiles and the coach cut a birthday cake with friendly and loyal media.

With this series win, India are third in the ICC World Test Championship table with 61.9 percentage points after seven matches.  

West Indies are at the bottom, having lost all the five Tests they have played – three to Australia and two to India.

Australia have played only seven Tests against West Indies in the last 10 years and all these seven have come in series of two or three Tests over the last three years. India, on the other hand, have played nine Tests against West Indies in the last 10 years and just three in the last five years. England have been just a shade better playing 10 Tests against West Indies in the last 10 years.

In the last 10 years, India and Australia have played 26 Tests between them and if you go back six months further, then 30 Tests.

So not giving teams like West Indies opportunity to play Tests and then celebrating wins against them with cakes and parties and smiles is nothing short of a cheap thrill.  

There was a moment at the Kotla that may have shattered the dangerous West Indies bowlers of yesteryear. India bowling coach Morne Morkel, a former South African quick, stood with the West Indians for about 20-25 minutes explaining to them something which one assumes related to bowling.

Morne Morkel (in blue baniyan) speaks to Windies players

A few yards away, left-arm spinner Khary Pierre sought advice from the master left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

These are the only times that they can eke out something from top Test nations.

There was another scene that was meant for optics – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill were seen together posing for picture with trophy in their hands. This was important after tensions brewed up between the two following Jaiswal’s run-out in first innings. He was out for 175, after thinking that a double century was for the taking.  

Kuldeep Yadav was named Player of the Match for his eight wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings. Ravindra Jadeja was named Player of the Series for his 104 runs and eight wickets.

Ravindra Jadeja (back to camera) speaks to Khary Pierre

The Test was also witnessed by Viv Richards and Brian Lara.

According Shyam Sharma, Director at DDCA, “They discussed West Indies batsmen’s dismissals in the first innings and the mistakes they made.”

It may have been a heart-breaking scene for the great Viv Richards, who had announced his arrival in Tests at this very venue of Ferozeshah Kotla 51 years ago. That was the second Test of his career and he smashed 192 not out as the West Indians thumped India by an innings and 17 runs.

Tags : India cricket team, West Indies cricket, Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal