KOLKATA, India – Head coach Ottis Gibson felt West Indies achieved most of their targets during their three-day, tour match against Uttar Pradesh which ended in a draw on Saturday at the Jadavpur University Complex here.
Gibson said all of the main batsmen spent quality time at the crease and all of the main bowlers, except Kemar Roach and Shane Shillingford, had a chance to extend themselves and things looked to be falling into place ahead of the first Test against India, starting this coming Wednesday at Eden Gardens here.
"At the start, we said we wanted to get some quality practice," said Gibson. "We did this – Shivnarine Chanderpaul got a hundred, Narsingh Deonarine batted well and all of the others, but time in the middle was much more important for us. We have not played a Test match for a long time, so it was important for everybody to get a run-out and this game was good for us.
"It also gave us an understanding of what is going to happen next week and what we need to do, particularly as a bowling attack. We will need to bowl more patiently than we were here, but everyone got a few overs under their belt and this would put us in a good position."
He added: "Speaking to the head groundsman here, he said there has been a lot of rain in Kolkata, so we expected this would have been a slow pitch.
"He also felt the pitch at Eden Gardens could well be similar and so for us to have this opportunity of playing on this kind of surface [at the Jadavpur University Complex], it means we are a bit accustomed to what we might get next week, so it’s not too bad."
Gibson allayed fears about Roach and Shillingford missing the match. He said they will take their rightful places in the line-up for the first Test.
"Shane was supposed to play, but he slept badly on his neck the night before, and had a bit of stiffness," he said. "Kemar is the same.
"Those two will add a little bit more potency to our attack, but it was good to see Sheldon Cottrell get a run out in this match, Tino Best also bowled well and so too Veerasammy Permaul, so everything is looking on course for next week. We are happy about where we are at the moment."
Gibson said West Indies he was satisfied with the bowling options and stayed away from discussing the possibility of two spinners playing in the first Test.
"We will see," he said. "Shane has been excellent for us and we will have to see who else will play. We need to find a bowling attack that we think can win us a Test match or put India under pressure.
"The Indians have been in excellent form with the bat during the current One-day International series against Australia – but in Test cricket, where they have to be a bit more patient, we will have to have the right bowling options that can control and contain them."
Gibson said West Indies were the clear underdogs going into the two-Test series, but they were confident and working hard to prove that they have made advances.
"We are playing away from home in India," he said. "We are now ranked at No.6 in the World, we have won our last six Tests, but India are in the top bracket, so playing away from home in a place like India, we are going to be underdogs.
"But we have a good spirit inside the team. There is a good blend of experienced players, like Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy who have played a lot of cricket in India – and some very good youngsters.
"We understand where we are, but sometimes the underdogs have a strong bite and that is what we hope we will come and show next week."