Firstly, a toast to the West Indies on their superb victory against Pakistan in three days by 117 runs. I never saw that coming, particularly after their display in the first Test match where the batting left much to be desired.
They say lightning doesn’t strike twice but I must admit, lightning has struck twice here, with the only difference being it did not strike in the same place. Let us look at some startling statistics, as this West Indies team seems to leave their best performances for January.
I am certain that most, if not all of you, must remember January 2024 when the West Indies toured Australia for a two-match Test series. They were humbled by ten wickets in the first Test match with scores of 188 and 120 and even though the bowlers fought back to dismiss the Aussies for 283, the 120 made in the second innings was simply inadequate and the home team won comfortably within three days.
In the second Test, when no one, including yours truly, gave them much of a chance, they defied the odds and defeated the powerful Aussies by eight runs, thanks to the inspiration and heroics of Shamar Joseph who grabbed 7 for 68 in the second innings. As I suggested earlier, lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place but listen to the similarities, as the parallels are striking, almost eerie.
The first Test vs the Aussies was from January 17-19, 2024. The first Test vs Pakistan was from January 17-19, 2025. West Indies lost on those dates to both Australia and Pakistan. The second Test vs Australia was played from January 25-29, 2024. The second Test against Pakistan was played from January 25-27, 2025. It’s like a recurring dream, a “Groundhog Day” of cricketing déjà vu. What an interesting coincidence that the West Indies save their best performances when the chips are down, their backs are against the wall and they have something to prove. Or is it as suggested they perform better in the latter half of January?
Both of those wins versus Australia and Pakistan were remarkable but, why do they wait for all and sundry to write them off and they then turn it on to beat Australia (on a pitch suited for their fast bowlers) and now against Pakistan (on a pitch especially manipulated to favour the home team spinners from ball one) who they beat at their own game. But let’s not get carried away. While these victories are commendable, let’s not declare “mission accomplished” just yet. As the adage goes, “One swallow does not a summer make”, and one gutsy win does not a cricketing renaissance herald. As another saying suggests, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” and the West Indies tend to flatter to deceive.
Speaking of chickens, let’s discuss that pitch. Now let me make it clear, I have no problem with a team wanting to use their home advantage; they should use the pitch to their benefit. All home teams try to prepare their pitches to suit their bowling attack and if the attack is spin-heavy, the grounds personnel usually prepare a pitch that plays reasonably well for the first three days but as the game goes on, by the fourth day, the wear and tear of the pitch causes it to turn more and then the spinners come into their own.
When a little grass and moisture is left on the pitch, it is generally because the home team is loaded with talented fast bowlers but again, it can backfire. If the home team loses the toss and is sent in, the grass and early morning moisture have to be negotiated by the home batsmen. Normally, curators around the world try to prepare a pitch that is well balanced, good for batting where batsmen can play their shots, and as the cricketing saying goes, bowlers who bend their backs will get something from the pitch. At the end of the day, it is always going to be advantageous for the home team, but not an unfair advantage.
While the home advantage is understandable, manipulating the pitch to such an extent to set the pitch to favour their spinners from ball one, is simply not cricket. Pakistan’s attempt to create a spinner’s paradise was less a sporting strategy and more a farce. The ICC needs to clamp down on unfair pitch preparation that spoils the essence of the game. They need to step in and enforce some standards, lest Test cricket devolves into a series of farcical home-ground circuses. What are the match referees there for, are they merely ornamental? I would hope they report the Pakistan pitch as being unprepared and spoiling Test cricket for purists the world over.
What Pakistan did backfired on them and I am extremely happy about that, not only because West Indies defeated them at their own tricks, but it goes to show the depths some nations go to win a Test match series. Pakistan did not cater for the bowlers who also turned batsmen. Kudos must go initially to Gudakesh Motie (number 9), Jomel Warrican (number 10) and Jayden Seales (number 11), from taking the score from 66 for 8 in the first Test to a somewhat respectable 137 in the circumstances.
In the second Test, 9, 10, and 11 (Motie, Roach and Warrican) took the score from a disastrous 54 for 8 to an incredible 163 all out to eventually give the West Indies a lead of nine runs after the first innings. For the second game in a row, the lower order had to provide a record-breaking innings to rescue the team from the depths of despair, proving that sometimes, the tail wags the dog.
The bowlers dismissed Pakistan on their spinning pitch with Warrican and Motie scalping seven wickets in the first innings and Kevin Sinclair joining the spinning party in the second innings, with all 10 wickets taken by the three spinners. I have said all along that West Indies bowlers are doing a fine job, be it pace or spin. The problem has been a lack of consistency from the batsmen. It showed up in the first innings of the second Test with the team having to be saved from total humiliation by the heroics of Motie’s half-century and Roach and Warrican. It was pleasing in the second innings to see some of the batsmen putting up a fight.
Finally, skipper Brathwaite came good, but he has to do this nine out of 10 times as he has played 98 Test matches. He needs to lead and show the way going forward with the bat. I was pleased for Amir Jangoo, whom I think has a real future in international cricket if he works hard. So, congratulations to the West Indies on a hard-fought series draw. It was a victory against the odds, a triumph of spirit over spin. But let’s not get carried away. Just like when the West Indies shocked Australia and things took a downward spiral after that, it must not be allowed to happen again. There is a lot of work to be done and don’t for one minute think the West Indies have “turned the corner” as they are a long way off but a victory in testing conditions was a tremendous feat. Congrats again on coming from behind to tie the series but once again, while the big boys play five Tests, the minnows play two. Shame on you, ICC!