Extra flab in middle order

Though evidently disappointed,the crowd at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium liked what they had witnessed. A West Indian pacer,though Russell only barely sneaks into that category,hurrying up an opposition batsman with a pacy bouncer is an occurrence they only rarely witness these days. Another short delivery soon consumed Badrinath,forcing him to glove a desperate pull-shot to Baugh down the leg-side. He had been bounced out. It was a meek end again following yet another struggle at the crease.

The next stop for the Indians is Kingston,Jamaica. And with the Sabina Park wicket expected to sport its fabled shiny look,the likes of Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul,who returns to the side for the final ODI,are certain to test the reflexes of the Indian batsmen with some good old Calypso chin-music. The hosts may have bounced back with a comprehensive 103-run victory at Antigua,but the loss will be considered only a minor glitch in an otherwise perfect tour for Suresh Raina and his young cohorts. The only worry for them,however,has been the travails of Badrinath and not to forget the misfiring Yusuf Pathan.

Badrinath experienced a baptism by fire at the hands of a fiery Dale Steyn on his Test debut last year at Nagpur. Though he did manage to eke out a half-century,not many were convinced about whether he could make the transition from a prolific domestic batsman to a successful international cricketer.

Make-or-break

His technique and footwork have never been a purists delight anyway,but Badrinath,who averages 13.33 in three innings,has looked overly jittery in the Caribbean despite having come up against some modest bowling. He may have forced his way back into the Indian team with impressive performances in the IPL and his continued consistency at domestic level. But having brushed aside a number of talented youngsters to get here,Badrinath,now 30,would have been aware that every innings on this tour might well be a make-or-break affair in his career. And that anxiety to succeed at all costs has been very apparent in his performances so far.

Badrinath has been edgy to start with,and taken too long to get settled-a strike-rate of 47.05 is quite suggestive. And having crossed double-figures,he has fallen to tame dismissals. He was out playing a loose cut-shot against Devendra Bishoo in the first ODI,before getting run-out going for a risky single in the third.

Loss of form

While a failure to overcome his inhibitions have led to Badrinaths downfall in the series,Pathans woes seem deeper engrained. Despite his immense success playing T20 cricket,the big-hitting Baroda batsman has only shown glimpses of his prowess at the highest level. Two centuries in the space of four innings-the second a breath-taking knock at Centurion against a strong South African attack-may have gladdened many hearts,but hes averaged around 10 in his following eight innings. He never came to the party during the World Cup,and here so far hes managed only 12 runs in three innings despite having gotten the opportunity to bat long in his last two knocks at Antigua.

Unlike Badrinath,hes tried to force the issue from almost his first delivery and perished in the process. In both the third and fourth ODIs,Pathan walked in with his team reeling. But rather than staying put and assessing the situation,hes just thrown in the towel too soon. A careless sweep against Bishoo and holing out to an unnecessary hoick off just his second ball against the gentle pace of Lendl Simmons do not speak too highly of the acclaimed finisher.

The Indians will be desperate to get back on track at Kingston on Thursday and finish the ODI series on a high before the Test series begins four days later. For Badrinath and Pathan though,it might well be their final chance to stake their claims in the ODI team before the regulars return to the fore.

Fifth ODI Live on Ten Cricket,6.30 pm