03 July,2009 08:04 AM IST | | IANS
The four-day break could serve as a fresh impetus for the travel-weary Indian cricket team to relaunch their West Indies campaign in the last two one-day internationals slated for tomorrow and Sunday.
The teams are locked 1-1 in the four match ODI series and the Beausejour Cricket Ground is all set to host the last two ODIs of the series.
The West Indies have certainly been the better team in the first two matches at Sabina Park in Kingston. They threatened to chase a target of 340 runs in the first ODI before India managed to pull it off just in time for a 20-run victory. The visitors won the second ODI with a comfortable eight-wicket victory to draw level. It could have been worse for India, but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's dogged 95 saved the team from falling below-100.
In both matches, there was nothing to suggest that it is the same Indian team that won 15 of their 18 previous matches before arriving in the Caribbean. Barring Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni, the rest of the batting line-up lacked application to tackle either swinging or short-pitched deliveries.
West Indies and England bowlers exposed Indian batsmen's weakness against short bowling in the World Twenty20 where Dhoni's outfit were out of the Super Eights. West Indies effected the same plan to good use through Jerome Taylor and Ravi Rampaul in the second ODI.
Dinesh Karthik, who is filling the opener's slot in absence of injured Virender Sehwag, is still to make a mark while his partner Gautam Gambhir's looks clearly out of sorts. Indian fans would be hoping for a turn in fortune after the break.
