Ganguly optimistic

Notwithstanding the humiliating 10-wicket defeat at the hands of West Indies, an optimistic Saurav Ganguly said there was still a lot to play for and India could yet clinch the five-match series. “There is a lot of cricket still left… We can still win the series,” Ganguly said after India managed to avoid an innings defeat only to go down by 10 wickets in the third Test and allow West Indies to draw level 1-1. Ganguly said the team did not put enough runs on the board in the first innings and that proved to be their undoing. “It sometimes happens. The wicket had life, we lost wickets and never recovered from that.”

However, Ganguly admitted there was no devil as such in the wicket. It was in fact, a “good batting pitch,” and the West Indian bowlers deserved credit for working hard on it, he said. On his own form, Ganguly said, “I have been hitting the ball well. It’s good to score runs but it is important to win also”. Ganguly impressed in both the innings remaining unbeaten on 48 and 60 respectively.

West Indian skipper Carl Hooper said he was relieved to have finally won here after being close in the earlier two Tests. “The toss was important. Also the track surprised me a little. But once you bowl your opponents for 102, the advantage is always there. After we put up a good total, the bowlers knew they could defend it.