Calcutta: The hastily drawn up two-Test series between India and the West Indies may be touted as Sachin Tendulkar’s swansong, but the Caribbeans are in no mood to give away any freebies.

The West Indies captain Darren Sammy did say that the Indian Master is an amazing cricketer, but was more keen on laying down the battle line.

Coach Ottis Gibson made it clear that though the quick call up for the squad was not ideal, they had prepared themselves well with a week-long camp at Miami. “It was a team-building effort with the motto – One Team, One Goal. Since many of the players were not really familiar with each other, this helped to bring them together,” Gibson said.

The coach added that the few days they have been here before the first Test at the Eden, will be used to get back to the ‘red-ball game’.

Gibson also said that there has been a distinct shift in West Indian cricket from pace to spin, since the wickets there were no longer conducive to fast bowling.

Sammy, who has spent enough time on Indian pitches playing in the IPL (he played for Hyderabad Sunrisers in the last season), was candid during in his first interaction of this series with the media.

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If he still stands by his earlier comment that he would want to dismiss Sachin off the first ball

I must have become public enemy No. 1 after saying that. The fact is we all respect Sachin. But end of the day this is a competition between the West Indies and India. We will not give him a hundred. We will not hand him any freebies just because this will be his farewell series. It will be two very tough Test matches.

Views on Sachin

I first met him in 2005 in London during the charity matches organised by the MCC for Tsunami relief. I think it was a match between the MCC and the Rest of the World. It was an honour to meet Sachin. To remain as humble as he has done, after achieving so much, is phenomenal. He is an amazing cricketer. To do what he has done for over two decades is testimony to his character.

If he’s worried about Sachin’s form after his Ranji performance

To win a Test we need to get 20 wickets. Sachin is one of them. There are others in the Indian team also like (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni, (Shikhar) Dhawan, (Virat) Kohli who are equally important to us. We are focused on the team as a whole.

West Indies’ strengths and weaknesses

(Laughs) We won’t tell you about our weaknesses. Our strength, however, is belief in the team.

We have a seasoned pro like Shivnarine Chanderpaul who has already played 148 Tests and the two here will make it 150 for him. Kemar Roach has done well with pace. In Shane Shillingford, we have a dependable spinner. The team is a mix of youth and experience. There is Marlon Samuels and Kirk Edwards. And ofcourse there is Chris Gayle now.

He has a lot of experience of playing in India and is familiar with the conditions, thanks to his IPL exploits.

Difference between this team and the one that played in 2011

In 2011, we were a very young side. Chanderpaul was the only senior player who knew about Indian conditions. This team had matured a lot. We are coming in after winning six consecutive Test matches (against New Zealand, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe). So we are more confident this time around.

If he’s comfortable leading in all formats

It is all right. I will do whatever is asked of me. I play for the West Indies, that’s what matters. Even if I am not the captain it doesn’t mean that I don’t have responsibilities.

If the IPL experience will help

The IPL has given us a chance to get used to the conditions. But for Test matches we have to be more patient.

If the team will give Sachin a guard of honour when he walks off the ground for the last time at the Wankhede

Sure we will. The boys will only be glad to do this. We have a lot of respect for him. He is a great ambassador of the game.