Source: Daily Express
Despite the West Indies staring down defeat, opener John Campbell believes there were clear signs of progress after he and captain Shai Hope led a spirited batting fightback on the fourth day of the second Test against India, yesterday.
Campbell struck his maiden Test century, while Hope ended an eight-year wait for his third, as the visitors produced their most determined batting effort of the series. Together, they shared a vital partnership that helped the West Indies post 390 in their second innings after trailing by 97 overnight.
However, their hard work was undone by a dramatic middle-order collapse that saw the side slip from 271 for three to 311 for nine in just 11 overs. By stumps, India had cruised to 63 for one in pursuit of a modest target of 121, leaving them needing just 58 more runs on today’s final day to seal a 2–0 series win.
Still, Campbell said the Windies’ second-innings performance was a major positive after their struggles earlier in the match.
“We are all hoping that it is a sign of good things to come,” he said. “Having not gotten the best in the first innings, we came out second innings and batted over 100 overs—that’s a big plus for us, especially against quality bowlers on a challenging day-four pitch.”
The left-hander, who fell after reaching three figures, admitted he misjudged his shot but took heart from the team’s fighting spirit.
“At that time I just thought the shot was on—just a little bit of miscalculation on my part,” he said. “I was disappointed after getting out, but that’s the nature of sport. Shai and I just wanted to bat as long as possible and take it as deep as we could.”
Campbell praised Hope’s calm leadership and composure, noting that their partnership was built on constant communication and trust.
“He has a lot of international experience and is very cool and calm. We were constantly talking and sharing information throughout the partnership,” he said.
The Jamaican credited the coaching staff for continuing to back the players despite recent inconsistencies. “The coaches always back us—they instil confidence in us and give us the belief to go out there and perform,” he noted.
With India firmly in control, Campbell said the West Indies will still look to fight for every opportunity on the final day. “As we saw towards the end, the wicket was a little bit up and down, so who knows what a few early wickets might do in the morning (today),” he added.
While defeat seems inevitable, Campbell insisted that the team’s resilience in the second innings—led by two determined centuries—was a step in the right direction.
“It was a great effort by the batsmen,” he said. “Batting over 100 overs after the struggles we had earlier is definitely a positive—hopefully it’s the start of something good.”
