Will this Windies team qualify for Ranji quarters from plate group, questions Harbhajan Singh

One wouldn’t have expected anything different but the way the Windies tumbled on the very second day on what looked to be a good batting wicket, the fans were surprised. The visitors were struggling at 77 for 6 in their first innings in reply to India’s score of 649 for 9 declared in the first Test in Rajkot.

Ranked eighth in ICC Test rankings, the Windies were never going to be a challenge for India, the top ranked team and things became worse for them after two of their frontline players Jason Holder, the regular skipper, and Kemar Roach, missed the first Test at the Saurashtra Cricket Association, Rajkot.

Veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh took a dig at the visiting side in the garb of modesty after seeing their ordinary performance in the ground. In a tweet, the 38-year-old asked whether the touring Caribbean side would qualify for the Ranji quarter finals even from the plate group. He said it didn’t look they would from the elite group.

Here is his tweet

With all due respect to West Indies Cricket but I have a question for u all…will this west Indies team qualify for Ranji quarters from the plate group? Elite se to nahin hoga 🧐 #INDvsWI

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 5, 2018

Harbhajan was reminded by fans of India’s England loss

Though Harbhajan’s tweet was liked 1000+ times, there were also people who criticised him for such a take. A few also reminded him that India also did poorly during their recent Test series in England which they lost 1-4 and that home teams always do well in familiar conditions.

The Windies haven’t won a Test in India since 1994 and a Test series here since 1983-84. The last time they won a Test series against India was in 2002 on their own soil. India have won the last six Test series against the maroon caps, thrice at home and as many times in the Caribbeans.

In the Rajkot Test, the Windies toiled for 149.5 overs to take nine Indian wickets but they conceded a huge score of 649 at a runrate of 4.33. Devendra Bishoo was the pick of their bowlers with four wickets for 217 runs in 54 overs. For India, three batsmen – debutant Prithvi Shaw (134), captain Virat Kohli (139) and bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (100 not out) scored tons. Wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant fell short of his second Test century by eight runs.