Marlon Samuels wants Windies win in front of home crowd

Although there is a massive clout of his potential retirement, the focus of Marlon Samuels is well and truly in the ongoing Test series against the Indians. Speaking in an interview with Cricbuzz, the 35-year old stated that he was focused on securing a win against a strong Indian unit in front of his home crowd in Jamaica.

With the second Test at Jamaica looming over the horizon, Samuels stated that he is hoping for a decent showing. The last time the Indians won at Jamaica, Anil Kumble was a part of the side all those years ago in 2006.

Speaking about his performance in the previous Test match, Samuels said, “You make a half-century, it’s a milestone. You have to cherish it, but at the end of the day, I always want more. I haven’t been getting the runs that I’m looking for in the Test arena, but I’ve been making up in the shorter versions, so it augurs well that I’m doing well for the team as well in the next versions. It’s just, I need to start focusing more and putting in some big performances, so the team can benefit from it.”

On the opportunity of playing in front of his home crowd in Jamaica, Samuels said, “It’s a great opportunity for me. Not too many sportsmen get to play in front of their home crowd. I think I’ve got the opportunity more than one time, so I cherish it – playing in front of a Jamaican crowd. As I said, it’s a great opportunity, not only for me but for the team to make a turnaround and come here and play some positive cricket and put up not just a challenge but a fight.”

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“Well, first and foremost, I’m not going to be here to tell you that it’s a young team. For me to say that is like finding excuses for the team. It’s a Test team, and Test cricket is big-man cricket, and the players should know that by now. They are here, playing Test cricket. So we all have to step up to the plate, and put up a very good challenge against the Indians. The Indians are a very good team, a very good unit, so what we want to try and do, to build right now, is a team spirit, and build a stronger unit in order [to move forward]. Yes, we have new players coming in, but they still have to deliver. At the end of the day, you have to, to keep your job here.”

Being the senior pro in the side, Samuels added that it was a high-pressure situation. “To be honest, it’s a lot of pressure. I’m not going to tell you that there’s not a great deal of pressure because I not only have to stand up and score a fifty or a hundred, I have to actually bat through the innings because I’m playing a role where I’m batting at four. I have to dominate and know, when we lose a wicket, that I need to tone it down. Sometimes I like to, if I’m on the go, just continue to go, but the responsibility is great, so I have to change.”

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