Pakistan Tour 'a New Opportunity' For Windies; Coley And Co Eye First Series Win Since 1990

Pakistan tour 'a new opportunity' for Windies; Coley and co eye first series win since 1990 (Image Source: IANS)

ICC World Test Championship: As the West Indies prepare for a two-match Test series against Pakistan, Test coach Andre Coley views it as an opportunity to finish his tenure on a high note. This series, commencing on January 17 in Karachi, serves as a chance for the Caribbean side to build momentum and address longstanding challenges in unfamiliar conditions.

The West Indies last won a Test match in Pakistan in November 1990, a 1-0 series triumph that stands as a distant memory. Since then, the best they have managed is a draw in Multan in 2006. In total, the teams have faced each other only seven times in Pakistan since that fateful 1990 series, with the hosts often proving to be dominant.

This series forms part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle but holds little significance in terms of qualification stakes. Both Pakistan and West Indies are languishing at the bottom of the WTC standings, ranked eighth and ninth, respectively.

As Daren Sammy prepares to take over as the West Indies Test coach, this series marks the end of Coley’s tenure. His focus has been on laying the groundwork for a more consistent and competitive team.For Coley, this series is more than just a farewell; it is a platform for players to apply the lessons of 2024 and define a consistent brand of cricket.

"It's a new series, a new opportunity. Once you play a series or a match, there's an opportunity in itself," Coley was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.

"It's not about us creating history, it's about using the learnings from 2024 and that consistency that was inserted for the last 12 months, being more set around the brand of cricket we want to play.

"Different people in the squad who would have missed out on opportunities before can use this as an opportunity to do better and do it in conditions that could be different in some instances."

He emphasised the value of playing in diverse conditions, saying, "When you talk about Test cricket, it's not only the opposition's skill that provides tests, but the different conditions, different environments, and different game situations provide those tests. And that's why you want to play at this level and in this format, to test yourself over four-five days. The game could change so rapidly."

The West Indies' standout moment of 2024 was an eight-run victory over Australia in Brisbane, largely attributed to their bowling attack led by Shamar Joseph. However, inconsistency in the batting lineup has prevented the team from capitalizing on such performances.

Coley acknowledged the efforts of his bowlers, including Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, and the spin duo of Gudakesh Motie and Jomel Warrican, who have often kept the team competitive. The absence of key bowlers Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales presents a challenge for the team, but Anderson Phillip and spinner Kevin Sinclair offer depth in the bowling attack. With conditions likely to favor spin in Karachi and Multan, Motie and Warrican are expected to play pivotal roles.

"Obviously, Jayden [Seales] back to full fitness, Shamar Joseph making his debut in 2024, Alzarri Joseph… Kemar Roach has been a standout in terms of his leadership, on and off the field, with his skill and mentorship. [Gudakesh] Motie and [Jomel] Warrican have been consistent when given an opportunity," Coley said.

On the batting front, the coach highlighted some bright spots, such as Kavem Hodge's maiden century and Alick Athanaze’s near-misses at significant milestones. However, he stressed the need for greater consistency, urging the batters to step up in the coming years.

"It's time, going forward in 2025, that the batsmen now, having been given certain opportunities to test their skills, to learn and translate those into performances.

"We've seen a couple of innings where our batters have… Kavem Hodge scoring his first hundred, Alick Athanaze missing out on at least three; there have been instances where we have had significant partnerships from a batting perspective. But they haven't really been very consistent and put ourselves in match-winning totals.

To acclimate to Pakistan’s conditions, the West Indies will play a three-day tour game in Islamabad starting January 10.

While victories in Pakistan might not alter the WTC standings significantly, they could provide a much-needed morale boost and set the stage for a more cohesive performance in future series.

To acclimate to Pakistan’s conditions, the West Indies will play a three-day tour game in Islamabad starting January 10.

Article Source: IANS