India vs West Indies: A battle of two underachieving teams

But while the hostsu2019 struggles could be attributed to administrative and monetary constraints, allied to a shortage of suitably talented and driven players, India has been consistently underwhelming at big-ticket events for a decade now despite the financial might and administrative resources at the BCCIu2019s disposal, and the worldu2019s richest talent pool in the game, which regularly keeps throwing up prodigies. Making the business end of big tournaments is the bare minimum expected from India, but faltering there repeatedly does pose a fair share of questions.Meanwhile, the West Indiesu2019 relegation to the second tier of cricket teams, may be even lower, at least in white-ball formats, is now complete. Their failure to make it to the main rounds of last yearu2019s T20 World Cup in Australia was considered a major setback for a team whose strongest suit was considered to be the shortest format. But at least they were in Australia before the tournament got into full gear. Their fate regarding their participation in the 50-over World Cup was sealed in distant southern Africa, and they would not get close to India when the mega event kicks off in October.The fate of the upcoming two-Test series is considered by many as a foregone conclusion, with even Sunil Gavaskar saying that u201cthe team that the West Indies is today, you can go one day before the Test match starts and you can still beat them.u201d But the West Indies have not been pushovers in the five-day game of late, especially at home. India will start as heavy favourites no doubt, but the hosts have a few players in their ranks who can spring a surprise or two
Source:- indianexpressWest Indiesu2019 falling stocks in white-ball cricket, and Indiau2019s recent domination in head-to-head contests u2013 the men from the Caribbean have lost the last four Tests with the last victory coming way back in May 2002 at Kingston, Jamaica u2013 have made the tour an unusually low-key affair. There has not been much promotion about the tour, which also includes three ODIs and five T20Is (two of them in Florida), and one could be forgiven for not noticing that the most keenly-followed cricket team is on to its next assignment.Share your views in the comments