Lara mystery illness has sidelined him from tour.
Tony Becca, Senior Sport Editor
WEST INDIES star batsman Brian Lara will not be in India, and as far as his chances of winning the series is concerned, captain Carl Hooper must be cursing his luck.
As one of those who, according to his own words, believe that the West Indies have turned the corner, however, Hooper should not be too worried. Lara's absence provides a wonderful opportunity for the players to prove that their captain knows what he is talking about.
For some time now, Hooper, like Board president Wes Hall, manager Ricky Skerritt and coach Roger Harper, has been talking about improvement in the team, and despite the disappointment of the last over bowled by Mervyn Dillon, after going so close to defeating South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy, he probably has every right to believe that things are turning around and that the Windies would prove it in India.
According to reports coming out of India, the pitches at the Test venues will be faster and will provide more bounce than ever before, that, if it really happens, should be a blessing for the West Indies and they really should be happy.
That, however, was up to a few days ago. Right now, they cannot be happy - not with Lara suffering from hepatitis and out of the tour.
With a batting line-up of Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lara, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul - plus Marlon Samuels and Ryan Hinds standing by, and an attack to come from fast bowlers Pedro Collins and Dillon, Cameron Cuffy - if he is fit, Daren Powell and Jermaine Lawson, the West Indies appeared well equipped to deal with India on their new pitches.
With Lara out, however, the batting will not be as strong, and regardless of the success of the fast bowlers, the West Indies may find it difficult to defeat India - to score enough runs against pacers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.
Although the West Indies have won without Lara, and even though Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Sarwan, Hooper, Chanderpaul, Samuels and Ryan Hinds are all talented batsmen, there is no question that the accomplished left-hander is the top batsman on the team - the one that can win matches.
In recent times Lara has been inconsistent, but when he is in form, like he was in Sri Lanka when he caned Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and company, when he was like a giant in the company of pygmies, he is brilliant.
Whatever the pitches are like in India, the skill of the West Indies batsmen will be severely tested by India's bowlers - particularly by Kumble and Singh, and it is understandable if Hooper is a worried man.
If the Windies captain, like Hall, Skerritt and Harper, really believed that the team had turned the corner, however, the absence of Lara, as brilliant as he can be, should not affect the team too much.
If the West Indies have turned the corner, if they have improved, then Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Sarwan, Hooper, Samuels and Ryan Hinds should make enough runs to give their bowlers a chance - bowlers who, if the pitches turn out to be what is promised, should be operating in ideal conditions and who, if Hooper and company are right in their assessment, should be good enough to make use of them.
Lara's absence is a blow to the West Indies chances of defeating India - no question about that. It has, however, presented a lovely opportunity for the players to show that they have turned the corner, that apart from their talent they have matured and are now players of quality, and for Hooper and company to say, I told you so.
