Have to be patient with a very young attack: Roddy Estwick

The Day 2 of the Test match between India and West Indies ended with the hosts still trailing by 535 runs with 9 wickets remaining. West Indies has to bat really well to save this Test match as the Indian quicks got seam and swing on Day 2 and their ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was already weaving webs in the 3 overs he bowled.

At the press conference, team’s bowling coach Roddy Estwick said that it was a good wicket for the batsmen and admitted that the young bowling line-up is still learning the art of fast bowling and trying to get the combinations right.

“Yes, obviously it is a good wicket for batting but also we must bear in mind that as a bowling attack we have lost Jerome Taylor to retirement and we have lost Kemar Roach who has not been selected and when you look at our bowling attack, between them it is about 40-45 Tests between them. So the current bowlers are still learning the art of fast bowling and trying to get the combinations right. So it is going to be a long struggle,” he said.

“And remember that Indian are a very good batting side as well. So it will be a tough series for us and we will continue to work hard and continue to stay disciplined and try and stay focused as possible,” he added.

Also read – WI v IND, 1st Test Day 2 Review: Kohli and Ashwin lead Indian

The 55-year old also said that it was hard to attack once the Indian skipper Virat Kohli was at the crease. “If you look at how he (Virat) was playing he was scoring at a-run-a-ball and scoring freely. With containing you have a job to do and chase is in his first test match, Carlos Brathwaite who has only played 3 Tests, Holder in his 15th Test. We are still learning as young players.”

He also pointed out that there was a lot of buzz around James Anderson not featuring in the first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s, for a side which had the services of a lot of experienced campaigners including Stuart Broad. “I heard a couple weeks ago England lamenting the loss of Jimmy Anderson, yet they have Stuart Broad with 99 Tests. So with a bowling unit, it takes time and you have to be patient with a very young attack. And we are playing against a very good Indian batting line up on a pitch that is very good as well,” he described.

Speaking about the selection controversies, he said that it will not affect him as he doesn’t get involved in the selection and all he does is to prepare the squad or the team that is given to him. Since Windies came into the match with 4 specialist bowlers, Kraigg Brathwaite played the role of the 5th bowler, and as a team, they are still working out different combinations.

Also read – Twitter Reactions: Kohli, Ashwin shine on Day 2 as India register a mammoth total

“It is always a good thing for the team if you can get a batsman who can bowl a few overs as well especially with our combination when you have gone in with only four specialist bowlers plus Roston Chase who is a batsman. So we are trying to squeeze as many overs out of the batsmen as well. We are still trying to get our combinations right and the last time we played a Test match was in Australia and since then two of our main bowlers have retired. So everything takes time and we cannot rush it and we have got to be patient and give these guys a chance,” he said.

Talking about the match, he said that the team is looking forward to batting till the tea of Day 4 to save the Test match. “It is a simple thing. We have to bat very well and bat deep into the fourth day and if we can do that, until just after tea on the fourth day, that will give us a chance of saving the game. But the first thing to do is avoid the follow on and somebody in the top four will have to get a very big hundred like Kohli who got 200. So it is important that one of the batsmen says that look this is a good pitch and I am going to capitalize here and if they can come to our backyard and do it, we can do it as well,” he concluded.