Returning Bishoo ready to bowl long spells

West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo has said he is prepared to bowl long spells in the upcoming four-Test series against India.

 

Bishoo, the only specialist spinner in West Indies’ 12-man squad, last played a Test in October 2015, against Sri Lanka at the P Sara Oval in Colombo. Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican had made his Test debut in that game, and impressed with a match haul of six wickets, including four in the first innings.

 

On the tour of Australia that followed, Warrican was picked ahead of Bishoo for the Hobart Test, before the latter injured his rotator cuff on the first morning of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, and did not play the Sydney Test either. Warrican was West Indies’ leading wicket-taker with five wickets in a disappointing bowling effort in Australia, but was overlooked for the India series.

 

“I am up for it,” Bishoo said looking ahead to the Tests against India. “I know I will have to bowl long spells and get wickets … I really want to have a good series. I want to have an excellent series.”

Bishoo drew confidence from his previous Test against India in Jamaica, when he took seven wickets at Sabina Park in 2011. He finished that series as West Indies’ second highest wicket-taker with 12 scalps in three matches at 32.58.

 

“I did well against India when they were here in the Caribbean back in 2011,” he said. “The memories are always there. I took seven wickets in the match in Jamaica – and I’m confident of doing well again.”

Bishoo was also hopeful of West Indies bringing their limited-overs form to the longest format, despite the lack of substantial experience in the Test side.

 

“We’re a young team and we know it will be a hard series, but we are fully aware of what is required,” he said. “Everybody is up for it and we are coming along very well. So far this year West Indies have performed well in the short formats … we want to continue that good work.”

 

West Indies’ four-Test series against India begins at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on July 21. (ESPNCricinfo)

 

Cover photo caption: Devendra Bishoo has taken 55 wickets in 15 Tests at 38.05