West Indies proved their naysayers wrong when they beat England by four wickets in a thrilling contest at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Sunday to go 1-0 up in the three- Test series. Shannon Gabriel's brilliance with the ball and Jermaine Blackwood's superb 95 in the chase set up the unlikely win for the Windies.
Skipper Jason Holder, who claimed career-best figures of 6/42 in the first innings, led from the front . With that performance, Holder, the world's top-ranked Test all-rounder ahead of England’s Ben Stokes, rose to second place in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers and is now only behind Australia's Pat Cummins.
At a press conference conducted via Zoom on the eve of the second Test in Manchester on Thursday, the lanky speedster said his side has been as competitive a Test side as any despite the numbers not stacking up in his favour.
“It is not right to use the term ‘unbelievable’ while describing the prospect of West Indies winning a Test series in England for the first time in three decades. We have been playing well for the past two years. If we win one of the two remaining matches, we can seal our first Test series win in England in 32 years. We will go out there and try to win the second Test,” Holder said when asked how special it would be to clinch the series and retain the Wisden Trophy.
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Skipper Joe Root’s return to the side is expected to bolster England. Your thoughts?
A player like Root is a threat to any bowling line-up. With him back as captain, there could be changes in England’s game plan and tactics. Their top-order will be fortified with his return. We will be wary of these factors.
Will there be any changes in the West Indies side for the second Test?
It is a fact that none of our batsmen could score a century in the first Test. (Jermaine) Blackwood played brilliantly but narrowly missed out on the three-digit mark. We want our batsmen to score big runs in the next match. All the bowlers had done exceptionally well in the opening Test. My only advice to them is that if they continue to bowl with patience and precision, their efforts will be duly rewarded.
The current pace attack has rekindled memories of the Windies legends. Is it the start of a new-age pace revolution?
Our bowlers have been in good form over the past two years. It was evident in the first Test. Shannon Gabriel returned to the team with a bang after recovering from an ankle injury. He’s blessed with pace and accuracy. Alzarri Joseph too is a gifted bowler. He possesses great rhythm and consistency and has the knack to adapt to different situations and conditions quickly. I could also bowl well and pick up some wickets. I think my strength lies in the ability to bowl long spells. I also have the advantage of height.
How does the COVID-19 pandemic affect the game?
It is disheartening to see empty stands. Even if the venue is eerily quiet, we fully concentrate on the game, battling it out for every run and wicket. There are many issues to be discussed, like the ban on the use of saliva on the ball. I will talk about it once the series gets over.
Does the team have any injury issues?
Opener John Campbell who suffered a foot injury after getting hit by a yorker from Jofra Archer is doubtful for the second Test.