St John’s: Andy Roberts feels India are barking up the wrong tree if they think spinners can win matches in the West Indies. “Spinners don’t beat the West Indies. If you are going in the Test series, hoping to beat them on the spin, I think you better change your mind,” he warned.

“There is an old saying that the West Indians can’t play spin. But the majority of time the West Indians lose, they lose to fast bowling.”

Roberts has not seen much of Indian fast bowlers but feels you could not bowl slow in the air and hope the pitch will assist you in hurrying up the batsmen. “Your fast bowlers must get one thing straight. If you don’t have the pace, you need to be consistent. They haven’t been patient enough.

“People are making a lot of fuss about the pitch not being quick. But the ball doesn’t come quicker off the wicket than when you release it.

“If you bowl slowly, the ball will come out of it slowly. You are always a lot quicker through the air than you are off the pitch,” says Roberts.

Roberts doesn’t see much merit in the West Indian attack either. (PTI)