India-West Indies analysis  

India’s third consecutive (fourth successive) series win against West Indies, & West Indies are the third nation that India have won successive series against, before this, India defeated England in successive series(1971-1972) & then in early part of  1993 when they trounced Sri Lanka(Jan) first at home and then in Sri Lanka (July).  

At end of this series, Indian batsmen have scored 77 centuries against West Indies, & 101 was against India for West Indies batsmen.

 Although, this series didn’t start well for their middle order batsmen, nevertheless India maintained excellent run-rate (3.79) thanks to brisk start given by Sehwag –Gambir, who made sure that India were off to a flier, their opening stand avg 58.4 in this series, allowing their strong yet slow-middle order, to play with more freedom. The Delhi Test was the perfect sample of how their batsmen would play this series. 

Dhoni”s suggestion on producing spinner’s track in India must have been influenced from No. of L B W & Bowled dismissals his new spin pair picked in this series. Both Ojha/Ashwin picked 14 L B W and 6 Bowled wickets, and in all there were 29 dismissals (16 L BW + 13 Bowled). 

 India’s Performance

West Indies performance 

For the first time in some years, West Indies bowlers failed to pick big wicket haul, (4 or more) in an inning.  In this series, the best bowling figure/inning came from their captain D Sammy (3/35).

Since 2007, Darren Sammy has been the most prolific bowler for West Indies. Apart from Fidel Edwards no bowler has picked more 4wickets haul than Sammy.

Edwards on the other hand had a very poor series, surprisingly with his slinging-action he could only get one L B W & Bowled dismissals(Sammy had 5 Bowled dismissals). Irrespective of where he bowled from (over the wicket, or around the wicket), or to whom (Right hand batsmen or Left hand batsmen) his radar was consistently down the leg side.

Darren Bravo’s 2^nd century at Eden Gardens was 100^th  century for West Indies against India in Test history.

He was the most prolific run scorer from either side. His tally of 404runs helped West Indies produce 47.2% of Team Runs in this series(Role-play). Role-play : 861Runs were scored by the West Indies team while he was batting, it is also the most by an player from either side. Apart from Bravo, K Edwards & K Brathwaite contributed immensely for West Indies, although their tally of runs were not much to talk about, yet, it’s runs scored in “Role-play”  produced large score for West Indies.

Explanation of primary indices used in these tables

Explanation of secondary indices
A – < 10: Low score dismissals (Bowler’s table).
B – L B W (Bowler’s table) : No. of L B W dismissals for bowlers
C – BOWLED (Bowler’s table) : No. of Bowled dismissals for bowlers.
D – Role-play : Batsmen’s (Begin Score)- (End score) = Role-Play

One should always consider team records and milestones more important and valuable than individual records and milestones, as it shows teams progress(set of players) over a period of time, compared to one individual player’s progress. 

Here not suggesting that individual player, either a bowler, or a batsman, or even a fielder should not be looking at his personal milestones, neverthless he should be looking from team’s perspective. 

However, shockingly this one record went unnoticed. It so happened that Darren Bravo’s century at Eden Gardens(2^nd Test, v India, Nov ) was the 100^th Test century for West Indies against India in Test history. Although they lost that game and subsequently the series, it posed a question on their progression since they lost Test dominance.

-List of centuries scored by West Indies against each country in Test history.

  Above table should aspire West Indies batsmen to do well, for the reason that, apart from them, only England & Australia have scored 100 tons against different countries!! .

Decade wise capsule for West Indies Test history.  

Above capsule shows West Indies Test supremacy in various decades, and as they lost their dominance, they seem to be playing more Test matches (last 2 decades)… yet, consistent-success eludes them now!.

Centuries scored by other countries in Test history.

Ideally a Test team should have at least one centurion in every Test match (2 inns). Australia is far the best Test side, averaging a century in every game, followed closely by Sri Lanka.

A look at India’s list of centuries against various countries in Test history.

Lately Indian batsmen have done exceedingly well against a better bowling attack, as they notched up more than 10 centuries, each against South Africa(2008-2010 ) and Pakistan (2006 & 2007)in their last two series.

All data processed at end of West Indies(1^st inn) vs India 3^rd Test, Mumbai, Nov 21, 2011.

In just concluded 2-Test series, both teams scored same amount of runs (937) in almost same number of overs, with home team having an upper hand in all areas, neverthless it was Australia who fought back inspite humiliation and injury, as they restored honor of not losing a series in South Africa for 41years & winning one of the greatest chase in recent times.  

Australia Batting

Australia: Although most Australians were out of form, yet their contribution as batsmen was worth noting. Their captain Clarke scored the only century of the series, which happened to be his best so far.

All Aussies were involved in 50+ partnerships, adding to this each batsmen gave Australia 100run(Player’s Role) contribution while at crease. 

  Australia Bowling  

As the tour progressed their bowling attack became imbalance, with injuries to Ryan Harris & Watson, and Johnson fast declining, it was difficult for the tourist to get a right combination. Australia regressed back to bowling much shorter and wider, not allowing their skills to have any effect. In the end it was fragile mid & lower batting from South Africa   which gave Aussies a chance to chase….a defendable total!!. 

South Africa Batting: South Africa went into this series, with their captain Smith  completely out of form, yet his resilient batting along with excellent support by his deputy Amla paved South Africa a strong base, and allowed them a historic win. The middle order performed poorly, especially Kallis.

South Africa Bowling: Arguably the best bowling attack in world cricket. With Steyn as their spearhead, they found a great support in Vernon Phillander(debutant) whose accuracy and movement reminds one of Fannie De Villers, yet Philander gets more bounce and pace.

They are ably supported by Morkel, who bowls well to left handers.  Their accuracy was projected by the number of ‘straight ball dismissals’ = L B W (11), which had 10 top batsmen, all getting out for low scores (< 10).

Explanation of primary indices used in these tables

Explanation of secondary indices
A – < 10: Low score dismissals (Bowler’s table).
B – L B W (Bowler’s table) : No. of L B W dismissals for bowlers
C – BOWLED (Bowler’s table) : No. of Bowled dismissals for bowlers.
D – Role-play : Batsmen’s (Begin Score)- (End score) = Role-Play

As of now, teams are losing chasing lower scores on regular basis, and at same time targets are not getting bigger.

Twenty20 can be a torch bearer for both Test matches and ODI matches, nevertheless currently its favoring bowlers more than batsmen, which means we are forced to look at basic skills very minutely.

At this moment, "boundary riders" are determining factor in winning a T20 game, and so far teams that have scored more boundaries have won maximum games, and only few times we witness otherwise.  

–        In, 2010WC only once we witnessed a team winning a game with less boundaries to their credit, as the losing side had a difference of “1boundary” to their credit.         

Cricket has been designed in a such a way that it allows "3different skills"not only to excel individually, & fulfill ones potential, but also determine game’s outcome, yet the game’s length decides individual brilliance, and sometimes these skills are not completely fulfilled when it favors “1” particular skill heavily.

Currently cricket is played in 3different formats, and they are length-based, & time-based, each determined by number of overs and days to be played with.Their basic function remains same.

Twenty20, is the latest to be recognized by cricket’s international body where each team play 20overs. 

This format gives more opportunity to individual brilliance, more than any other format, hence you would see only few brilliant performances of each skill, and they are not displayed all the time.

So far in all T20I there have been 205fifties scored by batsmen, with  opening pair contributing 53.17%, and 8.59 %  for players who bat below V.

T20 is 120 balls, and if one has to score substantial runs (25 + or 50+) then they need to spend some time in middle to score these runs, and openers have the best opportunity to do so, and same is the case for players who bat in middle order, yet win factor are much less, as its effectiveness is reduced compared to bowler’s 4wkt haul.

If we have to equate bowlers 4wkt haul to batsman fifties, than their success rate is far greater, because currently batsmen scoring fifties rewards 62% win, and bowler’s picking 4wkt haul rewards 74.50% win for teams!.

Tactical Method for Batsmen to excel:

With 120balls per inn, it is mandatory for an opener to play a ghost innings, ie be there till end, yet not get noticed till half way.

Dilshan’s century against Australia in 1st T20 game in SL, is an ideal example for openers to pace their innings, as he batted till the end, yet half way through the innings his score was 31(25balls) & SL were 76/2 (10overs). Then from 15overs he attacked the bowling, as Lankans managed to score 80runs in last 5overs!.

Although its not necessary that teams can score so many runs in last 5overs regularly, but idea is to have your opener or a No3 to bat through out the innings, with strike rate of 100+ at half way mark, yet have less balls faced, then with wickets in hand it would much easier to attack in last 7/5overs.

Tactical method for Bowlers to excel: 

So far inT20I, 51x 4wkt haul have been taken by bowlers, and in that only 5of them conceded more than 7Runs/Over!..

Yet, unlike opening batsmen, opening bowlers are less successful in picking 4wicket haul, as that credit goes to 3rd change bowlers, & also those who bowl beyond them, and they are more successful in picking 4wkts haul than opening bowlers, which actually is surprise knowing that white ball swings more than the red ball, but here the reason is completely different.

It seems most of the time teams are not using their strike bowlers to open the bowling, they are used as 2nd change, or 3rd change . 

All this suggest that picking 4wkt haul with new ball is not very productive for teams, as bowlers are more successful picking them in middle or at end of an innings. 

Not surprisingly Pakistan have the maximum 4wkt haul (10/51 =19.60%)to their credit, and interestingly shared equally by pace and spin.

Pakistan tactics to use their strike bowler in middle and end overs have paid good dividends, adding to this, their spinners have done excellent job aided by close in field tactics for new batsmen in middle overs. Pakistan almost every time use 5specialist bowlers, which does makes sense, as in 120balls/inn its bowlers who become more effective in picking wickets, then new-batsmen scoring boundaries at end of innings.  

One is certain that all this measurement will change once teams play more games, both home and away.

Then these established statistics would be completely different than the current one processed.

It is interesting and shocking to know, that so far England, NZ, West Indies, South Africa & Zimbabwe have not yet played a T20I game in India, in fact only few of these teams played in sub continent, (6 in UAE , 2 in SL, 1 in Bangladesh), but not a single game in India!!. 

All Data processed before India England T20 (31st August 2011)

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Since 2009, India 1^st Inn Avg Score is 469 Runs while batting second in a Test match. In these 15 Test matches, 10 times India scored more than 400 Runs.

List of 1^st Inn score (batting second) since 2009.