By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

Sabina Park witnessed a close affair and contrary to speculation of grass on the pitch, unprecedented at Kingston, Jamaica, the Indian pace attack failed to show through. In a match that went down to the wire, India found themselves heavily reliant on skipper Rahul Dravid and others to chip in timely to overhaul the West Indies score.

Earlier Chris Gayle showed the danger in undermining the West Indies side. That they could not capitalize on his innings of substance and win the first match to put pressure on the visitors is a rueful matter for both, him and re-anointed skipper Brian Lara.

That West Indies have been languishing at the bottom for a while now is no secret. Or the fact that India have tried hard and desperately to rip apart the cobwebs of having to catch up with Australia since the hay days of Sourav Ganguly. It is quite another matter that neither does the former captain find a place in the side as the boisterous spirit that came with him.

What we are witnessing now is a rather cautious approach from skipper Dravid and coach, Greg Chappell as if team India were walking on fragile glass. Gone are the arrogant brushes from Chappell or the quiet confidence of Dravid. It is becoming fast apparent that India are perhaps looking on the West Indies as an experience, a boot camp of sorts, ahead of the World Cup in a year’s time.

And one doesn’t have to look too far other than the first two matches of the series. That India are a team beyond the reach of the West Indies, yes, on paper. But what the two results have shown is a stark contract to sane analysis.

India look the slightly agitated lot, whether it is nervous energy knowing the World Cup will be held right on this very turf or is it apprehension of having to meet expectations knowing they are on the upside.

It then came as somewhat of a blessing in disguise that India did lose the second match, even at close range. It put an end to their seventeen match chasing streak and perhaps it will now allow Dravid to think a little out of the box.

India looked far from being the side with greater potential as they chased down the modest target in the second one day international. Really Sehwag, apart from the one innings against Pakistan, has had a lone streak far too long. Perhaps it is time to let him smell the air and use the reserves more with a view to making the team self-sufficient in the bench strength department.

After the bowlers made life hard for the West Indies batsmen, in a classic scenario, they failed to finish off the job well done. Part is to be blamed on Ramnaresh Sarwan never dying spirit that saw him score an unbeaten ninety-eight. But at 106 for six, the match result was pretty much wrapped up. Not only did India stay out for nearly an additional hundred runs, but allowed Sarwan to survive no less than four times through a case of missed stumps syndrome that Yuvraj Singh seemed to suffer from.

Suresh Raina made up for a regulatory slip catch with a spectacular catch later. Perhaps in the same mode, Yuvraj Singh’s ninety-three should have made up for the missed stumps. But it didn’t although he couldn’t be solely blamed for the loss. There were a few shot selections that begged the Indian think tank to reassess their roles.

In the past Irfan Pathan pulled the aces at number three position. But with the team being set a comfortable target to chase, it has to be questioned why he is becoming a familiar face at number three. To play him at that position regularly is not only putting greater emphasis on the all-rounder but also, taking away the surprise element a bit.

The close loss must have hit India hard (if it didn’t, there is a serious problem!) as did the win take the West Indies by surprise. No one likes to lose. For the West Indies, the loss in the first match made them feel like here we go again! rather than taking in the positive that they ran India really close. The second one may have left India with a hole but the West Indies were surprisingly elated themselves.

That is because even though both matches were close affairs, there is a certain expectation about victory that only habitual winners have imbibed over time. The West Indies may slowly now get into rhythm and feel the win sinking in in order to make concrete roads. For India, it should pose nothing more than a wake up call.