Richardson backs Windies batsmen to match India's show

“We have got to bat the way India batted,” the former skipper told newsmen. “It’s a very good batting wicket. India batted really well; we’ve got to bat the same way. It’s not going to be easy, the Indian bowlers are going to push us but I believe we have the ammunition to go out and bat for the next two days.”

Throwing light on the challenges of facing such a huge total, Richardson went on, “Usually, when you think about such a big total you are going to go, ‘Wow, that’s going to be difficult.’ But you have to assess the situation and tell yourself we can do it yourself too. If two guys get stuck in there and score centuries, then you can bat yourselves into a very good position.”

Echoing skipper Darren Sammy’s words, Richardson said batting positively against India’s spinners would be crucial. “If you are batting on a turning wicket and you just stay in there, the bowlers are going to get on top of you,” he cautioned. “You have to show intent.

That’s what we have been talking about. You can’t just wait for bad balls as there aren’t going to be too many bad balls from the Indians. You got to take it to them. This is not to say you play rash shots, it’s just that you keep looking for ways to score runs.”

Richardson was both part and captain of dominant West Indian teams. Asked how it was to be with a team struggling to live up to that reputation, he replied, “As a matter for fact, I have struggled all my life. I know what it is to struggle. You got to hang in there, fight, and fight and fight. Do all the right things, assess from the administrative point of view, look in the areas we got to develop, have development programmes.

“You can’t be best all the time. When you are down, you have to find a way to get back. In Sammy we have an exceptional leader. We have been showing that we have been improving all the time. We have no discipline issues. The guys are committed to training and working hard. It’s just a matter of time.”