West Indies selectors have been muchmaligned for a number of years, and rightly so. However, credence must be given to them for the bold selection of nineteen year old Alzarri Joseph. Joseph, star of the ICC U-19 World Cup earlier this year, repaid their faith with an accomplished display of fast bowling that included the wicket of Indian captain Virat Kohli. However, the cumulative effort of the fast bowling quartet hints at the possibility of consistently dangerous fast bowling attack.
Joseph's impressive debut
Alzarri Joseph has already been lauded by West Indian fast bowling greats as a star player for the future, however he did not allow this pressure to affecthis debut performance.
Ahostile first spell troubled Kohli and KL Rahul with pace and bounce; and he was rewarded with the wicket of Kohli from a short ball. Yet, most impressive was his spell in the second session that removed Rohit Sharma. Joseph plugged away bowling at a fifth stump line and swinging the ball away from the batsman. After 11 consecutive dot balls Joseph drew the false stroke from Sharma and an edge was gleefully accepted by Dowrich. Unsurprisingly for a player so inexperienced in First-Class Cricket Joseph tired later in the day, yet nothing should take away from an outstanding debut in Test cricket.
Admirable support from Gabriel, Cummins and Holder
However the performance of the rest of the seam attack should not be overlooked.
A cumulative haul of one wicket in almost 40 overs does not cry success, however the consistency of line and length will greatly please the West Indies bowling coach Roddy Estwick. Cummins, in only his second Test match, again toiled without any success but was a constant threat - particularly to Rahane and KL Rahul.
Chase vindicatesdecision to play extraseamer
The decision todrop first choice spinner Devendra Bishoo and play quick Alzarri Joseph was vindicated by the performance of Roston Chase. Coming off the back of his Man of the Match performance in Jamaica, Chase again put his hand up when the team needed it. Chase, bowling on a wicket offering him very little assistance, restricted run scoring and enabled Holder to rotate his seamers from the other end. Rahane's dismissal was the consequence of pressure built up by Chase's wicket to wicket style of bowling.
