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WEST Indies coach Phil Simmons said the West Indies Test team will not roll over in the upcoming two-match Test series after Bangladesh comprehensively defeated the regional team 3-0 in a three-match One Day International series.
The Test series will be played from next Wednesday until February 15. The West Indies batsmen struggled during the series as they failed to post 200 in the series. An inexperienced West Indies team competed in the ODI series as nine players made their debut.
More than ten players chose not to tour Bangladesh because of covid19, personal fears or personal reasons. ODI captain Kieron Pollard and Test captain Jason Holder opted not to travel to Bangladesh because of covid19 or personal fears, according to Cricket West Indies (CWI).
On Thursday, asked by CWI media if the Test series will be competitive like other Test matches recently, Simmons said, “If we play to our potential (and) if we play, really plan and work hard during the game (series) then it can be that. I think that they (Bangladesh) know it is not going to be as easy as the ODI series, but we still got to play properly.”
Earlier this month, India wrapped up a 2-1 series win over Australia in a thrilling four-match Test series in Australia. India were praised for winning the series as they lost many players during the series because of injury.
West Indies will field a more experienced team in the Test series with the likes of captain Kraigg Brathwaite, Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach in the squad.
“It is a big difference. You may have one, maybe two debutants in this Test series where as you had ten (nine) in the ODI series...the good thing is that the guys you called there (Brathwaite, Roach, Gabriel) and maybe a couple others have been down here before. The last tour down here Kraigg was captain, Shannon and Roachy were down here. It is good to have that kind of experience going into a Test series.”
A three-day practice match bowled off between West Indies and a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI at 11.30 pm on Thursday, TT time. Speaking about what he wants to see from his players in the practice match, Simmons said, “I think the main thing you are looking for is a thought, an understanding on how they are going to bat in these upcoming games...trying to put their plans into place. I am sure everyone of them, as they told us, have their own plans on how they going to play the spin, how they are going to play the fast bowlers, how they are going to get runs. It is up to them in this three-day game to just try and put things together and make sure that they know exactly how they are going to score when the time comes.”
In terms of the bowling, Simmons said the Windies bowlers must adjust to the wickets.
The post Simmons expects competitive WI-Bangladesh Test series appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.