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Both the West Indies and India are looking forward with renewed vigour to the second Test, starting today at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

Though the four-Test series is still level 0-0, after the West Indies’ last wicket pair of Fidel Edwards and Corey Collymore grimly survived the last 19 balls to earn a draw in the first Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground, both sides had plenty to encourage them.

India might have been depressed at losing the preceding One-day International series 4-1, but they fought back from a first innings deficit of 130 to set West Indies a highly improbable, if not impossible victory target of 392 to win the first Test, only to fail at the last hurdle.

“It doesn’t matter now what happened in the first Test because we have to start fresh, this is a new match,” India captain Rahul Dravid told reporters.

“Maybe, the West Indies will be confident that they saved that match, but we can take heart from some of the things we did. We are also confident going into this Test,” he explained.

For the West Indies, it was too close for comfort, and another example of letting the opposition escape the belt.

“The fact of the matter is that we put our heads in front, and if we had done so in a proper manner, would have gone on to win that Test, but we have a lot to take from that Test,” he told.

“We are still the team that has won more matches over the last two to three weeks, so we still have the psychological advantage and we know that we can be successful,” added Lara.

Both the teams have suffered injury setbacks ahead of the Test. India’s Shantha Sreesanth has been ruled out with a left heel injury, and Edwards has been sidelined with a right hamstring strain. It means the way looks paved for the return of two left-arm bowlers that have been important cogs in the wheels of the two sides in previous Tests.

With the Beausejour pitch sporting a generous covering of grass, India are likely to include three fast bowlers again, with the out-of-form Irfan Pathan coming into the side after missing out in the first Test.

The West Indies have been fortified with the return to Tests of Pedro Collins, Edwards’ older brother, after one year of nursing a stiff back. Beausejour has staged two Tests since it opened and both have ended in tame draws.

Squads: West Indies: Brian Lara (captain), Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Dave Mohammed, Runako Morton, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor; India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Mahendra Dhoni, Wasim Jaffer, Mohammed Kaif, Dinesh Karthik, Anil Kumble, Venkatsai Laxman, Munaf Patel, Irfan Pathan, Ramesh Powar, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Vikram Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Shantha Sreesanth; Umpires: Simon Taufel, Asad Rauf, TV Replays: Steve Bucknor, Reserve: Lawrence Thomas, Match referee: Jeff Crowe.

Source:The News