Kumble could have won the match for India: Ganguly
The presence of leg-spinner Anil Kumble could have turned the match in India's favour, Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly said on Tuesday at the end of the fourth Test, which ended in a draw in St Johns (Antigua).
"Kumble was 20 percent fit, and he made a great effort. It was hard work for the bowlers," Ganguly said.
After making 513 for nine declared in their first innings, India looked forward to Kumble to do the damage on a docile pitch but their hopes were dashed when the spinner suffered a injury while batting.
However, in an inspiring spell of 14 overs he bowled on the third evening with a fractured jaw, Kumble dismissed Brian Lara and almost had Carl Hooper.
The injury did not allow him to play the rest of the match.
But for Kumble's injury, West Indian captain Carl Hooper's decision to put India in to bat after winning the toss almost backfired.
"India's batting was below par at Barbados, and we wanted to put them under pressure," was how Hooper chose to put it.
Avoiding the follow-on after India had made a huge total, Shivnarine Chanderpaul's continuing good form with the bat and wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs being among the runs were the positives for the West Indies, Hooper added.
Ajay Ratra was named man-of-the-match for his maiden Test hundred.
"It was a great pleasure to score a century overseas. The coach worked on me, the captain gave me the confidence and Laxman motivated me a lot when I was batting," he said.
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