West Indies have variety in pace attack to take 20 wickets in India: Sammy

Head coach Daren Sammy feels West Indies possess enough “variety” in their pace attack to take 20 wickets in Indian conditions and urged his side to take inspiration from New Zealand ahead of the upcoming two-Test series.

The India-West Indies series begins in Ahmedabad on October 2, followed by the second Test in Delhi from October 10.

“We have found ourselves in a position where our seam attack could operate in any conditions. That six-to-eight-metre length works across the world. But in our fast-bowling department, we’ve got four different guys who have their own variety,” Sammy told reporters.

The pace attack includes Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Anderson Phillip and Jayden Seales, alongside all-rounder Justin Greaves.

“You have Shamar Joseph, who’s very skiddy, Jayden, who has a strong front leg and can swing the ball both ways, then you have Alzarri Joseph with his height and the bounce he could extract,” Sammy said.

“So, again, we take confidence in that, especially the way they’ve been bowling over the last year. The ability to take 20 wickets, because that’s what you will need in India.”

“If you can’t take 20 wickets in India, you are on the back foot and we have a bowling line-up of that, especially from the seam department, that could take 20 wickets.”

Sammy said the team is looking to follow the example of New Zealand, who beat India 3-0 late last year, as West Indies aim to end their 42-year wait for a series win in India.

“The process remains the same. The lines and lengths don’t change in terms of that six-to-eight-metre length. Maybe it’s just adjusting whether it’s a touch fuller or touch further back into the pitch,” said Sammy, who is also the coach of St Lucia Kings in the ongoing CPL 2025.

“I have full confidence in that and it makes me smile knowing that we go out bowling and we take 20 wickets. And that’s the first objective in the Test match.”

Sammy said he has spent considerable time over the past six weeks with Test captain Roston Chase during the CPL to discuss plans for the India tour.

The 41-year-old said they analysed extensive data to finalise a squad with clearly defined roles.

“From my end, the ten days leading up to the [first] Test match [in India], we’ll be drilling in all these things and planning very well as to how we’re going to beat India in India,” Sammy said.

“We’re definitely going down there with the mindset to win. We’re not just going to go down there and think, ‘oh, it’s India’. No. New Zealand went there and did incredibly well and that we should take inspiration from.”

“But again, it’s understanding the things that New Zealand did in those conditions and try to emulate it with our guys as well.”