It has been a dominating performance by India so far. West Indies never looked threatening even in their own conditions. Though the series is already won India has much more to play for than the hosts. A draw or a loss could push them down in the rankings. But if they manage to secure a win they retain the top spot.
Both the bowlers and batsman stepped up in crunch situations. Openers Rahul and Dhawan got off to some decent partnerships. While the former got some big scores, Dhawan could manage only one half century. Down the order Kohli,Rahane and Ashwin has been among the runs. Saha too came up with some important contributions. Bowling has been the story throughout the series.
Lot of issues has been resolved in the bowling department. Ishant Sharma bowled on a consistent line and length. He used his short ball tactic occasionally to bounce the batsmen out. Shami’s comeback has been impressive. He kept bowling in a tight length and found the edge quite often. Bhuvaneshwar cemented his place by an impressive spell in the third test. Ashwin has been the hero so far.The offie not only took a bag full wickets but also came up with a two centuries with one being hit in a crucial situation.
On the other side it was a different story. West Indian top order came up with a poor show. Apart from Brathwaite none of the batsman looked comfortable at the crease. Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels struggled to find form. Roston Chase has been the lone bright spot. He hit a match saving century as West Indies drew the second test from the jaws of defeat. Bowling has been pretty ordinary throughout the series. Gabriel bowled on a consistent basis but couldn’t find a way to be among the wicket takers. Holder is having a disastrous season. He managed to pick only a solitary wicket in three matches. Spinners did the bulk of the job to compensate the fast bowlers.
Fourth and final test could be a opportunity for both teams to test their bench strength. While India are looking to retain the no 1 spot in rankings,West Indies are looking for a consolatory victory which could boost their morale. Meterologits have predicted some heavy showers during the course of the test match which could spoil the hopes of both the sides.
