Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
India's cricket captain Rahul Dravid (left) holds haneds with former Jamaica and West Indies player Maurice Foster while the India cricket team was hosted at a cocktail reception held at the Indian High Commissioner's residence on Saturday night. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
THE INDIAN cricketers open their ninth tour of the Caribbean at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay today when they take on Jamaica in a warm-up match in preparation for the one-day series against the West Indies set to start at Sabina Park on Thursday.
The five-match one-day series will be followed by a four-match Test series starting in Antigua on June 2.
Ranked number three in the LG ICC ODI rankings, India, coached by former Australian captain and top batsman Greg Chappell, boast a combination of attractive batsmen, swing bowlers and spin bowlers, and together they form one of the most exciting teams in world cricket.
Led by captain Rahul Dravid, India's batting, even without Sachin Tendulkar, is imposing.
Apart from the elegant and prolific Dravid, India's batting includes not only the experienced and dashing Virender Sehwag, not only the exciting Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Kaif and Venugopul Rao as well as wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni, but also the attractive 20-year-old Robin Uthappa and the equally attractive 19-year-old left-hander Suresh Raina. And their bowling, even without right-arm legspinner Anil Kumble, is just as impressive.
Apart from the experienced all-rounder Ajit Agarkar, offspinners Ramesh Powar and the brilliant Harbhajan Singh, in 23-year-old Shanthakumaran Sreesanth - six for 55 versus England in the Test match at Indore last month, in 22-year-old Munaf Patel - seven for 97 versus England on his Test debut, in 20-year-old Rudra Pratap, and in 21-year-old left-hander Irfan Pathan they possess three good young pace bowlers who swing the ball appreciably and an all-rounder who many believe is destined to be the next Kapil Dev.
Led by Wavell Hinds, Jamaica will be without opening batsman Chris Gayle, middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels, wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jnr. and pacer Jerome Taylor who all represented the West Indies in the seventh and final one-day match against Zimbabwe in Port of Spain on Sunday.
With batsmen like Hinds himself, Donovan Pagon, Tamar Lambert and Danza Hyatt, however, plus two from Donovan Sinclair, Damian Ebanks and Dean Morgan, with a wicketkeeper/batsman like Keith Hibbert and an attack to come from pacers Jermaine Lawson, Daren Powell and Andrew Richardson, from offspinner Bevan Brown and from left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, Jamaica should give the tourists a run for their money as they tune-up for the West Indies.
TEAMS
India: Rahul Dravid - captain, Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Kaif, Suresh Raina, Venugopal Rao, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Ramesh Powar, Harbhajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Rudra Pratap, Munaf Patel.
Jamaica: Wavell Hinds - captain, Donovan Pagon, Daren Powell, Nikita Miller, Jermaine Lawson, Tamar Lambert, Bevan Brown, Danza Hyatt, Andrew Richardson, Damian Ebanks, Donovan Sinclair, Keith Hibbert, Dean Morgan.
