KOLKATA, INDIA // Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, is likely to play an extra spinner in the second Test against India as he expects another slow pitch at Eden Gardens.
Sammy said it was possible Shane Shillingford, the off-spinner, would be brought in for Ravi Rampaul, the pace bowler, in the game starting today, as the West Indies look to even the three-Test series.
"The centre track looks the same [as the slow practice pitches]," Sammy said. "We will definitely consider the option of the other spinner we have in the squad - Shillingford."
The visitors played Devendra Bishoo, the leg-spinner, with Marlon Samuels, the part-time off-spinner, for support in the first Test in New Delhi, which they lost by five wickets.
Sammy said he had seen Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain and a part-time seamer, bowling with the new ball at this venue in the past and so he too could contemplate cutting out a full-time pace bowler. "I would love to see the ball passing by the batsmen's neck, but in India, we know what we expect to get," he said.
Ishant Sharma, the India paceman and the most senior member of an inexperienced attack, also said fast bowlers were not likely to do much in this series.
"In the first innings, it's too early to get reverse swing as the wicket is not that scratched up," Ishant said. "The only thing you can do is to bowl consistent because it will only reverse on the second and third days of a match."
Ishant, who has played 39 Test matches, said it was an honour to lead the bowling attack in the absence of the injured Zaheer Khan.
"Obviously it's a great feeling. Zaheer is the kind of bowler you will obviously miss. But that is part and parcel of the game - when someone is injured and you have to play that role of the senior.
"Whatever you have in the team, you need to go with that and give your best shot and go and win the match for the team."