West Indies bowlers competing for Tendulkar’s wicket: Sammy

Mumbai – West Indies captain Darren Sammy Wednesday revealed that his bowlers are competing among themselves to get the prize-wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in the cricket legend’s farewell and 200th Test that starts here Thursday.

“From the moment we heard it is going to be his last Test in Mumbai, all the bowlers were quite motivated. There is a chance to go down in history. The last stroke he would play in any cricket match and your name could go down in there,” Sammy said on the eve of the match at the Wankhede Stadium.

“We will see how it goes Thursday and bringing down the curtains on a glittering career of a man who has been a great ambassador not only for India but for world cricket,” he added.

The West Indies lost the first Test at Kolkata by an innings and 51 runs.

Sammy said India have quickly adjusted to the Test format while his team is still struggling.

“Both teams came to this series playing one-day cricket.! India adjusted much quicker than us. We were not patient enou! gh. Once we were put under pressure, we didn’t respond quite well. (This is) Something we have to work on,” he said.

Asked if the captain, he himself, deserves a place in the side, Sammy said: “I have been through this situation since the first day I started my career. To be honest, right now, I am not even worried about it. I am not worried about the criticism. I am here to do a job to the best of my ability. Once the selectors or someone feels it is time to move on then so be it. We have moved on from Sammy in one-day cricket as captain, I will still enjoy my game. That is the least of my worries right now.”

Sammy said the West Indies batsmen are also better prepared to face pacer Mohammad Shami, who had a match haul of nine wickets on debut at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the first Test.

“We are prepared for that. Throughout the sessions, we have batted in Mumbai, we have got the balls scratched up, to get the reverse swing going… to practise mor! e realistically, what we are going to face out there in the middle.

“It’s good when you have a raw quality that nobody knows about. He got a chance to play for India and he grabbed it with both hands. Also, we are prepared for other bowlers like Ashwin and Ojha. It’s about executing our plans properly and whatever India brings at us, we are ready to face it especially in pressure situations,” he said.