For WI, it was a case of pace over, game over
Chandigarh: If you’re one of those Indian fans who started following cricket after India won the 1983 World Cup, you might remember the horror that visited Indian cricket later that year — the summer of joy was followed by a winter of despair. The Indian team was brought crashing down to earth by West Indies in the Test and ODI series at home.
The great Malcolm Marshall knocked the bat out of the hands of the equally great Sunil Gavaskar in Kanpur. India were crushed in Kanpur, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. India lost two Tests by an innings, one by 138 runs. West Indies won 3-0 in the Tests and 5-0 in the ODIs. Marshall ended up with 33 wickets in the series — 1983 was the start of the golden period of this greatest of the fast bowlers. No fast bowler has taken more wickets in a series in India. 1983 was also Kapil Dev’s finest hour — he took 32 wickets that series, against the very strong West Indian batting line-up. Only five pace bowlers have taken over 30 wickets in a Test series in India — four are West Indians, the fifth is Kapil Dev. It’s a feat he can be proud of.
Though West Indies declined in spectacular fashion in the 21st century, it’s quite incredible that they never won a Test series in India after 1983. They’ve not won a Test in India since 1994. The lethal pace of 1983 and 1987 (remember Patrick Patterson?!) flattened India even on our home tracks. West Indies could not do that ever again, a reflection on the loss of their pace force — in 2013, their pacers took just 4 wickets in the two Tests in India!
- 1994 The last time West Indies won a Test match in India (at Mohali). India have won 5 Tests out of 8 played in 3 series in India, 3 ending in draws
- 1983 The last time West Indies beat India in a Test series in India. Before that, WI had beaten India in 4 series out of 5 played, since 1948
- 33 Wickets by Malcolm Marshall in india in 1983. Michael Holding took 30, while Winston Davis and Wayne Daniel took 14 each
- 43 Wickets by 2 WI pacers, Courtney Walsh and Patrick Patterson, in 4-Test series in India in 1987, which ended in a draw
- 4! Wickets by West Indian pacers in the 2-Test series in India in 2013! This illustrates the decline of the West Indies as a cricket force
Rohit Mahajan
