Before the start of the first Test, captain Virat Kohli had made it clear that India will look to dominate the home team during the course of the four-match Test series. In the third Test at St. Lucia, the visitors took an unassailable 2-0 lead after a stupendous bowling show to skittle out West Indies for just 108 runs. As India prepare for the final leg of the Test tour, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has said that there will be no letup in intensity. India will continue to come hard at the West Indies and look to end the series just the way they started – with a bang.
The win in the final Test that will be played here at the Queen’s Park Oval from Thursday will not only stretch the lead to 3-0, but will help India take the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings. “The mood in the dressing room has been fantastic. Our goal is to play attacking cricket and dominate West Indies because it is important to finish well. The 3-0 margin will be very good, and yes, our long-term goal is to be the No. 1 team.
“Right now, it is important to stay in the present. We want to dominate here again like we did in the three Tests. So, it is important to be in that process and think about achieving that No. 1 rank as a team.”
The solid Mumbai batsman batted at No. 4 in the third Test after scoring an unbeaten 108 in the second Test at Jamaica. Despite the change in the position, Rahane had no trouble as he scored 35 in the first innings and remained not out on 78 as India declared on 217 in the second innings. “It is how you adjust and how you assess the conditions at a particular number. It is important to read the conditions really well and play according to that, rather than thinking about anything else. So the number doesn't matter for me."
Asked about his consistency in the longest format of the game, Rahane attributed his success to his preparation drills, which involves visualization. “I visualize before a game and before I go out to bat in the dressing room. Actually, that is what is helping me in the middle to bat at No. 5. It is not like what you think will translate onto the field, but what you visualize most of the times, those things (do) happen. When Virat told me that I am going to bat at four, I started visualising what the situation might be when I go out to bat. It helps a lot and I also speak with our coaches, Sanjay Bangar and Anil Kumble. So, I think that communication and visualization are really helping me.”
Rahane credited the bowlers for their impressive show in the series. In the three Test matches so far, only once have the West Indies not been bowled out. “West Indies are a pretty dangerous team in their home. We played some good cricket and improved. Our bowling unit has been performing really well from the Sri Lanka tour and in India against South Africa. I think we have been playing some good cricket and credit goes to whole team, not only batsmen or bowlers, everyone. Even the management has been working really hard with the boys and our process and our strategies have been fantastic for each and every individual against our opponents.”
