New Delhi: Standing near the nets early in the morning, two grim-faced Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) officials were in no mood to enter into a discussion on poor ticket sales for the first India-West Indies Test, beginning at the Kotla on Sunday. All they had to offer were vague comments about how things would pick up once the action starts in the middle.
A couple of minutes later, as Sachin Tendulkar walked out of the dressing room and towards the nets, the officials’ faces lit up. “Here is one man, who can make every single ticket vanish from the counters. Let him get his century here, you will get your answer then,” said one of them.
The expectation that Tendulkar could create history at the Kotla has somehow overshadowed the importance of this Test match. Almost everyone here, from former cricketers to young kids standing outside the gate just to have a glimpse of the players, are eagerly waiting for the little master to slam his 100th international ton.
There is so much hype that Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to play it down. “We will let him get the century first and then we will speak about it,” said the captain. “It’s bound to happen... So rather than discussing too much ahead of the milestone, we should allow him to get it and then discuss about it.”
But the man, who remained the centre of attraction, looked calm and composed. In the morning, Tendulkar batted for more than half-an-hour at nets and then joined his teammates for fielding practice. Thereafter he walked up to the wicket and spoke for about 15 minutes with Kotla curator and former Delhi opener Venkat Sundaram.
The Indians seem overwhelming favourites despite the fact that the Windies are riding high on a Test series win on foreign soil for the first time in eight years, following their successful trip to Bangladesh, where they won both the Test and one-day International series.
Dhoni, however, dismissed any suggestion that India were suffering from complacency and said no international side should be taken lightly. Asked on the team composition, the skipper said two new players would make their Test debut. Though he did not name the duo, Ravichandran Ashwin and Umesh Yadav set to get the nod.
In batting, the hosts are at full strength, especially with the return of stalwarts like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh. Aware of India’s strength, West Indies skipper Darren Sammy said his team was here to play fearless cricket. “I think the brand of cricket we have come here to play should be fearless,” he said. “Playing cricket in India gives you a different feeling. People here look at cricket like religion. This should be the biggest test for us,” Sammy said.
Back in Dhaka, in the second and final Test, the Windies came up with some impressive performances. Kirk Edwards scored a century in the first innings and 86 in the second, Darren Bravo almost bagged a maiden double-century and promising leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo claimed a first five-wicket haul.
There will also be a lot of focus on the Kotla track as it will be hosting a Test for the first time since serving an international ban in 2009.
However, both Dhoni and Sammy described the pitch as “a good wicket” with the former saying it might take turn as the game progresses. Curator Sundaram said he was confident of a good wicket, which will bear the rigours of a five-day match.
TEAMS
India (likely): Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Umesh Yadav.
West Indies (from): Darren Sammy, Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Kieran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford.
Umpires: Rod Tucker and Kumar Dharmasena.
TV: Sudhir Asnani.
Match Referee: Jeff Crowe.
Match starts: 9.30 am.
