West Indies' defeat in the opening one-dayer has elicited sharp criticism from former Test player turned commentator Colin Croft who says the hosts are still not ready to take on an opposition of the class of India.
"I am not altogether sure that the West Indies Cricket team are fully ready for the tour of the Caribbean by the Indian cricketers," he wrote in a syndicated column for Trinidad Express, the country's mass-circulation newspaper.
"India are a very settled cricket team, consisting of a set of players who are coming off two wonderful series against the Pakistanis and the English in recent times," he said.
"To paraphrase the English rock group, '10-CC' in their reggae song, Dreadlock Holiday, the Indians, players, inhabitants and and even expat-Indians, do not just like cricket, they love it. The Indians fawn to, serve and simply adore their players."
Croft said the hosts have had ample preparation in the build up to the series against India and "if the West Indies are not now ready, I doubt that the team will ever be ready for such a tour."
Backing India to pull off a historic Test series triumph, he said if India are as bold and adventurous as they are in the one-dayers, they could pull off the elusive victory this time around.
{{/usCountry}}Backing India to pull off a historic Test series triumph, he said if India are as bold and adventurous as they are in the one-dayers, they could pull off the elusive victory this time around.
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