Hope we give Sachin a good send-off: Darren Sammy

It’s not only the Indians who are celebrating Sachin Tendulkar ahead of his last Test match. The opponents, West Indies, are equally pumped to be part of the historic occasion. Speaking to the media on the eve of the Mumbai Test, Windies skipper Darren Sammy revealed about the little competition that’s going on in the team camp.  (Also Read: STR 200th Test Match Preview: India vs West Indies, 2nd Test, 2013)

“From the moment we heard it is going to be his last Test in Mumbai, all the bowlers were quite motivated,” Sammy said. “There is a chance to go down in history by being the bowler who got Sachin Tendulkar out in his final Test innings. It will be the last stroke he would play in any cricket match and your name could go down in there.

“We are honoured to be the team that will bring down the curtains on a great career of a man who has been a great ambassador not only for India but world cricket.

Sammy also paid tribute to “The rock of West Indies’ batting”, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who will play his 150^th Test match at Wankhede Stadium.

“Tomorrow our most experienced player would be playing his 150th game. That is a big milestone for him and for us as West Indians. Obviously it will be overshadowed by Sachin's 200. We as a team would go out and work hard for Shiv.

“Like Sachin, Shiv too has not changed a bit when it comes to his dedication to cricket and the way he prepares. He has been the same ever since I have known him. You could see the way it reflects on his game. He practises exactly the same way he wants to go out and play. I hope he goes on to score 150 in his 150th match.

“I don't know if I could say the same for Sachin because that means he will get a double century. Shiv has been very important to us. Since Brian (Lara) left, he has been the rock of the batting. The young players could take a page out of his book. Hopefully he will be around the dressing room for a few years to come. He looks fit, he feels good and he is still scoring runs. We are happy to have him in our dressing room, Sammy said.

West Indies will indeed be hoping for a Chanderpaul special to inspire them in the Mumbai Test after the huge defeat in Kolkata. Sammy said patience will be the key with his batsmen.

“Both teams came to this series playing one-day cricket. India adjusted much quicker than us. We were not patient enough. Once we were put under pressure, we didn't respond quite well. Something we have to work on. We have to bat at least 120 overs in the first innings. It is very important to get a good first innings score here in India and we have not been able to do that. As a team generally, we need to bat much better,” Sammy said.

The biggest reason for West Indies’ batting failure in the first Test, besides their own lack of application, was debutant Mohammed Shami’s reverse swing. Sammy said they have done their homework to tackle the pacer in Mumbai.

“We have definitely been prepared for that. Throughout the sessions we have batted in Mumbai, we have got the balls scratched up, to get the reverse swing going. We have tried to practice what we are going to face out there in the middle.

“It is always good when you have a raw quality that nobody knows about. He got a chance to play for India and he grabbed it with both hands. Credit to him. But once you announce yourself on international scene then you become easier to read. We have also prepared for other bowlers like Ashwin and Ojha,” Sammy revealed.

“It is always tough to play India in India. It is a tough battle. We have to show that we can rise to the occasion and give Sachin a good send-off,” Sammy said.

source: bcci.tv