Harbhajan stumped with Windies tactics

Harbhajan confesses that Indian side was stung by West Indian team appearing to play more for the draw than a result.

Ace Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said the Indian team was surprised with the strategy adopted by West Indies, who seemed to be playing for a draw, on the third day of the third cricket Test at St.Kitts.

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West Indies scored only 22 runs in the 14 overs before lunch break and Harbhajan termed it as astonishing tactics on the part of the hosts, who could have put more pressure on India by stepping up the scoring rate.

"We were surprised and were not sure if they wanted to play for a result or a draw. If they had picked up scoring earlier, they would have made 600-650 runs and put us under more pressure," Harbhajan said after the third day's play here yesterday.

The Punjab bowler said perhaps the hosts had no intentions of winning the match.

"It seemed they did not want to win the game," he said.

However, Harbhajan, who did not play the first two Tests and picked up five wickets on his comeback, attributed his success to the attacking mode adopted by Caribbean batsmen in the post-lunch session.

"In those two games, the West Indian batsmen were in a defensive frame of mind. But here they wanted to attack," said Harbhajan after he recovered from an initial mauling to finish with 5 for 147 runs.

But, the Turbanator said it was a difficult task to get wickets on a flat track suitable for batting.

"It is a batting paradise, the boundaries are short, the wicket is flat and it reminds me of Lahore. On this wicket even getting out number 11 is difficult." More