Mumbai, Nov 21: With experienced batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul missing the team's practice session ahead of third and final Test against India here today, the West Indies are keeping their fingers crossed and have decided to take a call on him tomorrow morning before the start of the match.
“We are monitoring the situation to see if he could make it tomorrow. Given the experienced player that he is we will take a call tomorrow,” West Indies skipper Darren Sammy told reporters on the eve of the inconsequential Test.
India have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in three-match Test series by winning the first two games at Delhi and Kolkata, and Chanderpaul, who completed 2000 career Test runs against the hosts in this series, had injured his calf-muscle while batting in the second innings of second Test at Eden Gardens that West Indies lost by an innings and 15 runs.
The 37-year-old Guyanese has scored a century (118) and two 47s in the four innings so far.
Given the expected nature of the wicket at the Wankhede, which curator Sudhir Naik has termed as “sporting”, Sammy hinted that the Caribbean team could field a fourth pacer with speedster Ravi Rampaul likely to come in for leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.
Bishoo has not troubled the strong Indian batting line-up much, barring a double strike against Sachin Tendulkar.
“That is something we are looking at. Whatever impact has been had has been by the fast bowlers. Ravi (Rampaul) might come in. Hopefully, we will salvage a draw or a win,” he said. Praising the practice pitches at the Wankhede, Sammy hoped that after playing in slow and low pitches in the first two Tests, his bowlers would get something to cheer about in Mumbai if the match track played similar to the practice ones.
“So far the practice wickets have been good. There is something in there for the fast bowlers and the batsmen seem to be playing their shots as well. Let's just hope the Test wicket is like that, too,” said Sammy.
