Excerpts...
On the lessons from the Antigua defeat...
Well we need to be better than we were in the last game. Our bowling wasn't good enough. And we obviously didn't bat well enough. You need to bat well and you need to bowl well and in the field, when the chances come, you need to take it. One of the things we really stressed on was the consistency. We need to build pressure for long periods, bowl well in partnerships and patches. But we didn't sustain that long enough in that game. That's some of the key areas we need to pay attention.
On West Indies' team composition and preparation...
We will take the final decision tomorrow morning, see how the pitch looks. Yesterday it looked a bit green and this morning there was a lot of moisture.In the last game while batting we got starts but didn't carry on. The bowling wasn't consistent enough so we need a lot more consistency.
On the Jamaica pitch...
In the last game we played here against Australia, there was not this amount of grass on the pitch. Previously, there has been grass but the pitch still ends up being on the slower side. To be fair, as I said, probably it's difficult really to predict how the pitch will play here in Jamaica. Going into this game tomorrow morning, I just need to take a final decision.
On if West Indies will bowl or bat first and Devendra Bishoo's fitness...
As far as Bishoo, he is good. I don't know of him being injured. In terms of the toss, when I came yesterday, it (the surface) was pretty dry. This morning I came, there is a lot of water in it. So we have not decided what we are going to do. I have to see it in the morning.
OnAlzarri Joseph's inclusion...
Anything is possible. We will just wait and watch what the pitch has in store for us. I will make the final decision.
Is Joseph ready for Test cricket?
To be fair, I have never played against Alzarri, never seen him play cricket live. But I have seen him play cricket on TV. And there is obviously a lot of talk going behind him. He has talent, he has the ability, he has pace. I support him fully. He has done what is done to get here. We just need to get behind him if he is making his debut tomorrow. If he plays in the near future, we just need to give him support. Support is all we can give. At this time, it's important for him to back his skills and know what got him here. He got here by hard work, he got here by performances. He will just continue doing what he has been doing before and if given the opportunity, I wish him all the best.
On having to play catch up in the series...
It's not difficult. We just want to look at it as three Test matches to go. It's just a matter of making significant improvements from the last game into this one.
On his team's inexperience...
It's not difficult to motivate the team. As I said in the first press conference, this is a young team and they are looking to make their mark. Everybody's always looking forward to play Test cricket. As a youngster, you come to see the likes of Sir Garfield Sobers, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner and the lot aspires to be like them. As I said, it's a very young group and everybody is eager to make a mark on international circuit so its not difficult to motivate them. For us, it's just about getting accustomed to international cricket, familiarizing ourselves with the conditions and putting out some good performances.
On Jermaine Blackwood's form...
I haven't picked the team as yet. Jermaine has done well for us in the last few seasons. But I support him, I back him 100%. If he is given a chance to continue, I hope he will go and put out a good performance. He has got a Test century and has done well against some of the best bowling attacks. Everybody goes through a rough patch. It's just about him turning it around.
The bigger concern - batting or bowling?
We failed in both bowling and batting. In cricket you have to execute. You know in hindsight you can say a lot of things but then it boils down to execution. Bowlers have to come, have to be consistent for longer periods and batsmen just have knock it down, occupy the crease and score. That's the bottom line of it.
Special plans for Virat Kohli...
Again, going back to our bowling, I think it's consistency. We showed that if we are consistent with our lines and lengths, we can cause problems and make scoring difficult for him.
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