WI v IND | Overall I’m very happy with our performance as a bowling group, says Kemar Roach
Kemar Roach, the senior West Indian bowler, admitted that he is happy with the performance put in by the bowling group against the Indian batting lineup. Roach was also impressed with what he saw from Rahkeem Cornwall on his debut match and reckons that he belongs at the international level.
Although he doesn’t have the numbers to show for it, Roach has arguably been the best performer for the West Indies across both Test matches. However, the 31-year-old credited the entire bowling unit for keeping the hosts in the series on more than one occasion. After conceding a first-innings lead in excess of 280, the bowlers struck back to have India three down for 36.
“It was a tough day, the guys stuck at it. As a bowling group, we’re satisfied with the work we’ve done in this series so far. Kudos to the guys. The plans were still the same (as in the England series). As I said, India has one of the strongest batting lineups in the world. So it is a different challenge. But for me, its simple: once you get the ball in the right areas, then the rest doesn’t matter,” he said.
Debutant Cornwall delivered some tight spells and caused the Indians trouble with his off-spin throughout the match. This gives Roach the confidence that the youngster is here to stay and do great things for West Indies in the years to come.
“I thought Cornwall bowled really well today, and in the whole Test match. On trying conditions, against Indian batsmen who are pretty good players of spin, I thought he did a fantastic job holding one end and creating pressure so that other guys from the other end could try to get a wicket. He looks like he belongs. I hope he does stay and do great things for West Indies in the future,” Roach said.
After toiling away with his consistent line and length, Roach found some reward when he struck off consecutive deliveries to remove KL Rahul and Virat Kohli – for a first-ball duck. Roach almost had a hat-trick when Ajinkya Rahane nearly dragged the very next ball onto his stumps, but it wasn’t to be. However, the man from Barbados went past a former great from the same region, Sir Wes Hall, in Test-wickets tally.
“Happy for myself to be among the greats. It is a great achievement for me. It was a good feeling (to be on a hat-trick). Obviously, the Indian batting lineup is very strong, so to be on a hat-trick against those guys is a good feeling. I’d have liked to have got it, but a little more luck and next time it’ll be edged onto the stumps and go my way,” Roach added.
With two days of play still left, a target of 423 runs is very gettable when one views the scenario without context. When you add in the information that the Windies are yet to mount a total higher than 222, the task seems impossible. But Roach has only one advice to offer the batsmen going out on Day 4: Just bat, bat, bat.
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