It has now become a trend not to enforce the follow-on, especially because of the difficulties a team faces in the fourth innings run-chase. While that was a point India were of course pondered before deciding to bat again, the pacers’ workload management in the hot Jamaica conditions was probably the bigger reason behind the decision. It was, however, in a way an acknowledgement the fast bowlers had put in the first innings in anti-Caribbean conditions and was widely accepted by many. However, was it also a decision fraught with the danger of not winning the game?

There was an inclement weather prediction for Day 4 and Day 5 because of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas in Jamaica which might affect the game big-time. As per BBC News, Hurricane Dorian has made landfall in the north-west Bahamas as a powerful category five storms with sustained winds of up to 180mph and is expected to continue to move over Great Abaco Island and near, or over, Grand Bahama Island later on Sunday into Monday. As I dug deeper to check the local reports from Jamaica, the prediction for the city doesn’t seem good and although light rain is predicted, a change in path for the Hurricane may actually cause detriment to the Indian team’s winning sojourn. 

Yesterday, we talked about how Shannon Gabriel, despite being blessed with some fearsome pace and hostility, adopted a one-dimensional approach. When swing was not available, instead of trying to extract some seam movement, which was in plenty for Jason Holder, he bowled a regular full length and the Indians happily punished him for that. Thank goodness, he brought a change to the failed plan and did what he has been so good at - short and back of length deliveries. With his partner-in-crime Kemar Roach doing fine at the other end, Gabriel first focused on getting his lengths right before firing the attacking ones.

When the chips are down, when things don’t go your way, it requires an extra push, that small shift in attitude for good, and how you make up for all the mistakes. Every success on the sports field is as much about talent as it is about seizing the small moments and looking for those extra bits. India, despite playing one of the easiest away series ever, didn’t drop the intensity as much as the hosts and that is the eventual turning point in the game. After dominating the first innings like invincibles, India had the option of putting Windies into bat again and set their professionalism on stone. However, looking at the bigger picture, India batted again, and in hindsight, that was something which was required to expose Windies’ terrible attitude.