West Indies spinner Khary Pierre admitted his surprise at India’s decision to enforce the follow-on on day three of the second and final Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Despite his astonishment, Pierre praised his team’s resilient counterattacking display. After being bowled out for 248 in their first innings and trailing by a hefty 270 runs, West Indies showed significant fight. Opener John Campbell was instrumental, remaining unbeaten on 87, while Shai Hope contributed a solid 66 not out, forging a crucial 138-run partnership. They finished day three at 173/2, still requiring 97 runs to make India bat again.
Pierre shared his thoughts with reporters, stating, ‘Actually, it was a bit surprising that they went back to bowl, although I know the wicket was still a good one. For me personally, batting on the wicket for a lot of time, watching the wicket, and seeing what it’s doing, I think the wicket is still a very good wicket, as I said before.’ He further added, ‘I was surprised, but, it’s India, and they wanted to get the winner, and probably they didn’t think that they need to go back to bat. But, so be it, and I don’t think we take a big challenge of going to bat, and we have to bat properly this innings, and try to make a game out of it.’
He attributed the team’s strong performance to their focus on application, highlighting the lower order’s valuable fight in the first innings. Pierre himself chipped in with 23 runs off 46 balls and shared a vital 46-run stand for the ninth wicket with Anderson Philip.
Reflecting on the match, Pierre acknowledged the challenging nature of the pitch: ‘It has been a challenge. If you watch the wicket, it’s still a good one, but the odd ball is spinning. For me, personally, I think the wicket is challenging also. The Indian batsmen have also played well to their conditions; they have batted well. It has been tough for me personally, but I think it’s a learning process for me. This is only my second test match, so you know, I’m taking it all into account.’
He also revealed the team’s strategy: ‘Application is what we preached in the dressing room, (Daren) Sammy (head coach) and the coaching staff and all, they preached in the dressing room, taking it one session at a time. This is the first time we have been able to win a session in the two Test matches so far.’
As a player in only his second Test, Pierre emphasized the significant learning experience. ‘I’ve learnt a lot. This is Test match cricket, it’s going to be challenging and tough; the conditions are also challenging. But I’ve learnt that the things I need to do, coming into Test cricket, the variations, getting more purchase off the ball and stuff like that,’ he elaborated.
Pierre expressed strong confidence in the foundation laid by Campbell and Hope for day four. ‘A lot of confidence, I think the two batsmen have laid a platform for us. This is Test match cricket, we’re going to get this before they deteriorate more, so the more runs we can pile on, it can be a challenge for the Indian batsmen,’ he asserted. He continued, ‘I think the wicket is still a good one, with the odd ball spinning a little bit somewhat. So, it’s still a good wicket to bat, so, all in all, I think in the Test match, it’s all about batting as low as possible to try and get that wear and tear, to even get more slow. So, it’s still a good wicket, I would say, as of now, but once we continue to bat, going on to the last session in the fourth day, and into the fifth day, I think it’s going to deteriorate a lot, and as I said, stay low and spin a little more.’
Finally, Pierre commended John Campbell’s excellent batting, calling it a well-deserved reward for his hard work, especially after an unlucky dismissal in the first innings. ‘John has been batting well. He had some dismissals that didn’t go his way, and as you see his dismissal in the first innings, that was a really tough one to swallow,’ Pierre remarked.
The spinner reiterated the team’s clear batting strategy: ‘It’s just about continuing, and the thing is, on these wickets, once you get a start, you have to score big, and that’s the objective. That’s what we’re trying to preach… try and cash in for the team.’