Sammy rues another sorry batting display by Windies

West Indies without doubt will have to double their efforts if they are to come back in the series against India. But after the 63-run defeat in the first Test, they were again left to rue half the team they were after another spineless batting display.

The line-up did miss the explosive Chris Gayle, but still had two former skippers Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to guide the talented youngsters. Tail-enders Ravi Rampaul, Fidel Edwards and last man Devendra Bishoo, who took seven wickets to set up a challenging chase, added 75 runs together to narrow the defeat.

Skipper Darren Sammy knows there are no excuses for his batsmen, who again undid the remarkable effort by the bowlers to dismiss a depleted India for around 250 in both the innings. The 21-year-old opener Adrian Barath's first innings 64 was the only half-century for West Indies.

“Surely, as a batting unit we know we are way behind the eight ball,” he said, fidgeting with his cap in some embarrassment, answering the same questions that were raised for most of the ODI series. "The way the bowlers have bowled, if we could put good totals on the board or chase down totals, we stand a very good chance to comeback."

Batting has remained the weak link in the last decade for the once formidable West Indies, who suffered a batting collapse against spin in the second Test to draw the Pakistan home series 1-1 last month.

"The guys are training hard but it is about being a little more focused, mentally, to put your team in a good position. Just like Rahul Dravid played and the way Harbhajan came and took charge of the situation.

"We got the pitch we wanted, we asked for bounce and there was bounce. We bowled them out twice. The bulk of the wickets fell to fast bowlers.

“Maybe I could have Gary Sobers, Clyde Walcott, all of them. Whoever is picked to represent West Indies as a batsman, the onus is on him to put the team in a good position as far as runs are concerned.”