West Indies – Do they really deserve to play the format like “Test Cricket” after the level of cricket they have played on the recent tour of New Zealand. First in the T20l series they were defeated single handedly and then in the test series the hosts (New Zealand) put them into the shambles very easily. Test cricket and T20l cricket is completely different and captains don't put the same team across the formats to get the same results. It's the same team from where players like Clive Lloyd, Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul have played as torch-bearers in his eras to represent the West Indies cricket team.
From batting to bowling in the West Indies team there is no one who has the vision to be the match-winner for the team in a format like Test cricket. With such performance it even creates the doubt that why the West Indies is still the test playing nation. At once they were most invincible team in the 70s or 80s with the likes of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner in their bowling line-up who even the opposition have thought about once to went against – such was the fear of great West Indies team. After the absurd test series the losing West Indies captain has to face obvious criticisms for the choices he has made during the test series. Having said, let us take a look at the three reasons where west Indies have lost the test series.
DECISION TO BOWL FIRST BACKFIRED IN BOTH THE TEST MATCHES:
After facing the defeat in the limited overs cricket. West Indies have locked horns with New Zealand for the 2-match test series. The test series was the part of inaugural ICC Test Championship 2019-21. The first test match was played at Seddon Park, Hamilton where the tourist (West Indies) after winning the toss have decided to bowl first and it looked New Zealand was waiting for this and went onto post 519 runs for the loss 7 Wickets before declared the first innings which featured Tom Latham (86), Kyle Jamieson (51) and captain leading from front to register his career-best score of 251 which featured 34 fours and 2 sixes.
In response West Indies were unable to cross the 300 run-mark in any of their innings and lost the game by 134 runs and an innings. Tim Southee (5), Neil Wagner (6), Trent Boult (2) and Kyle Jamieson (4) were the leading wicket-takers from New Zealand to put opposition into the shambles easily and take 1-0 lead in the series. Kane Williamson for his double hundred was awarded with Man of the match.
Moving into the second test match, New Zealand was about to miss the services of Kane Williamson as he was on paternity leave and in his absence Tom Latham was appointed as the captain of New Zealand. Once again West Indies have won the toss and have decided to bowl first this was quite shocking after losing the first test match the captain should have to bat in the decider game to not let the opposition take the advantage of Home Conditions. But New Zealand like the first test match have took the game away after scoring 460 runs in their first innings which featured Henry Nicolls (174), Will Young (43), Daryl Mitchell (42) and Neil Wagner who remained unbeaten with 42-ball 66 which include 8 fours and 4 sixes.
In response West Indies were befuddled at the score of 131 in the first innings with Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson for New Zealand shared 5-5 wickets respectively. The follow-on was enforced by New Zealand captain and West Indies seems to have no choice to either go for a draw or have to face one more defeat. The victory was next to impossible and that’s what happened next as West Indies was unable to cross the first innings total of New Zealand and lost the match by 12 runs and an innings. Henry Nicholls was awarded Man of the match for his brilliant knock of 174 runs to help New Zealand to white washed the West Indies by 2-0.
CLUELESS BOWLING LINE-UP OF WEST INDIES:
If there is one obvious reason why West Indies have lost the test series then it is definitely the absurd bowling attack of West Indies. At once West Indies have had the most complete bowling LINE-UP ever in history with the likes of Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding and Joel Garner currently not even able to bowl out the opposition gives a brief about this current line-up. Test cricket is always the toughest format in the world and team can not win without the genuine fast bowlers to the quality in the spin division against the A-list teams in the world.
West Indies bowling line-up have been completely absurd in the both the test matches as no bowler was able to pick either 10 wickets in a match which somewhere clears the picture how weak this bowling line-up is to restrict the opposition. T20l Cricket and Test cricket is completely different and West Indies cricket have to figure out how to keep their test status alive after such performances or better they restrict themselves to limited overs cricket only with such a team who is putting down the values of Test cricket.
ABSURD BATTING LINE-UP OF WEST INDIES:
In the 4 innings of 2-match test series there was one century from West Indies which came from Jermaine Blackwood willow during the first test match. If a team has lost the match by an innings in both the matches the team has to face criticism without any doubt. The captain's choices and decisions need to be questioned after such failures. It is the same Cricket nation from where players like Brian Lara have ruled the cricket world with his flamboyant batting in the era of Sachin Tendulkar or Ricky Ponting. He was the last best batsman ever produced by West Indies who single handedly carried the legacy of the former great be it as a captain or batsman.
West Indies is currently going through a transition period but they have to analyse who will be torch-bearer for them in the coming times like Brian Lara was in the early 90s to mid 2000 era. From top-order to middle-order there is no one who can be match-winner for West Indies especially in a format like Test cricket. Even they don’t have quality all-rounders who can provide any resistance to the team either in batting or bowling. Do you think West Indies still needs to test cricket with such a team? Drop your views in the comment box.
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