MUMBAI, India, CMC – Denesh Ramdin says West Indies need to sharpen up in all aspects of their game if they are to beat India in the upcoming one-day series, and believes the arrival of the players from the Champions League Twenty20 will enhance their chances.
The Caribbean side face India in a five-match series starting Wednesday in Kochi but will head into that game on the backs of two defeats to India A in the 50-over tour matches.
“We have to play well in all departments. We can’t bat well and don’t field well. It is very important our batters come out and put the runs on the board,” said Ramdin, who struck a sizzling century in the second game on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium.
“We will be without Sunil Narine so hopefully the guys will pull their weight more and come up with the goods. Young Jerome Taylor in the fast bowling department is going to be very exciting … but the Indian batsmen are very talented as well so we need to get early wickets and put the middle and lower order under pressure.”
West Indies lost their first match by nine wickets at Brabourne Stadium last Friday and went down again, this time by 16 runs in Sunday’s second match.
On both occasions, the Windies batting disappointed. They were bundled out for 148 in the first game and then crashed to 65 for four in pursuit of 283 for victory on Sunday, before battling their way to 266 for nine.
Ramdin, however, believes the addition of captain Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith and Andre Russell will bolster the strength of the squad.
Bravo and Smith were part of the Chennai Super Kings squad that won the Champions League Twenty20 final on Saturday while Russell campaigned for losing finalists Kolkata Knight Riders.
“There are a couple guys missing from our team who are very important, the captain Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith at the top of the order – a devastating batsman – and then Andre Russell one of our better finishers,” the wicketkeeper said.
“Hopefully when these guys come in and fill their slots, we can have better finishing [especially] with Kieron Pollard and [Darren] Sammy [there].”
Despite West Indies’ loss on Sunday, Ramdin enjoyed a great day, taking five catches and scoring a run-a-ball 102. He put on 101 for the fifth wicket with Sammy (50) and a further 62 for the sixth wicket with Jason Holder (54).
“It was a good day in terms of my glove work and then batting I got a good score. But I wasn’t happy with me not batting down to the end and finishing of the game for the team,” Ramdin pointed out.
“Young Jason Holder batted very well and I got a little partnership with Darren Sammy but we just needed some help in the end and we couldn’t get that support.”
